The Game
by dooski
Summary: [Complete] Max finally lets her guard down around Alec. With nothing to interrupt their chemistry, what would happen? Teasing over drinks at the bar leads to air hockey, leads to a bet, leads to...well, you’ll just have to read to find out! [MA]
1. Chapter 1

**disclaimer: **I don't own Dark Angel or the characters  
**time frame/setting: **2nd season, Max already has the symbols on her skin, but there's no Terminal City right now  
**Pairing**: MA of course!

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**The Game**

_Max finally lets her guard down around Alec. With nothing to interrupt their chemistry, what would happen? Teasing over drinks at the bar leads to air hockey, leads to a bet, leads to…..well, you'll just have to read to find out!_

* * *

Max walked up to him with a smile. He was such an idiot. And sometimes, as much as she didn't want to, she had to admit it was kind of cute.

_Cute?_ Okay. Maybe that was a bit much. But it _did_ make her smile just because of what a goof he was sometimes…well, all the time.

"What's up, Maxie?" he asked her, his usual smirk ever present, as she sat down beside him. Usually, he was the one to come sit by her and the others. Only tonight, their other usual friends weren't present. It was just the two of them. "Where's Cindy and Sketch?"

Max shrugged, "Don't know. I guess they're coming later. Come to think of it, I'm usually not here so early. And neither are you. No other plans tonight?" She cocked her head as she asked. It seemed she found amusement in the rare event that Alec had no plans at all for the evening.

Alec shrugged back at her, "Just spending some quality time with my favorite Manticore alum! You know, outside of the air vents…or stealing something….or…"

"You've made your point, smart ass!" Max said with an unusual grin. It was only unusual because she normally wasn't so pleased when she was around him, with the bigger bad always looming over what could have been a casual evening. Being a transgenic made 'having fun' become a treasured and rare event in between hunting and being hunted. Not to mention trying to figure out mysterious symbols appearing on her skin.

Max shoved away her thoughts as she drank up her glass. She was going to relax tonight no matter what. Even if the only company she had was Alec.

Alec couldn't help smiling, seeing her mood. Even though her grin wasn't a normal sight, it seemed so natural on her face. _Wonder why she's so happy_, he thought. "So, Maxie, did you finally get laid? You're not walking around like you have a stick shoved up your ass!"

She surprisingly, to herself as well as him, only laughed at his comment, being just as carefree as he apparently was. She decided she would go along with it today. Maybe it would throw him off his toes, make _him_ be the one not knowing what to say for once. After all, once upon a time, she had been just as carefree and smart with people. She might actually have some fun with him for once. Plus, the look on his face alone would make it worth it.

"As a matter of fact…" she began, her happy attitude making it impossible for him to doubt her story, "What can I say? You were right. All I needed was to loosen up!"

"All right, Maxie!" Alec said, about to high five her before he realized that action was probably better reserved for one of the guys.

Max laughed, she couldn't go on like this. "Okay, wise guy. So maybe I _did_ need to loosen up. A little."

"A little?" Alec asked her.

She shoved him playfully, "Okay, maybe more than a little. But what's a girl to do? When my family is out there getting hunted, I gotta come through."

"Yea," Alec agreed, "But still, don't forget to live a little."

Max laughed more.

"What's so funny?" Alec asked her, giving a questioning look.

"Did you _really_ think that all I needed was some bump and grind? Like, after that, bam! I'd be too busy floating on the love train to get all serious anymore?" Max asked him, both mocking him and being just plain curious.

"Well…wait," he began, giving her a questioning look, "Does this mean, you didn't…"

"Yea, sorry to ruin the image that I don't even want to _think_ about that I'm sure is running through your pretty little head. Oh, and of course, I'm sorry to prove you wrong. That actually, I _can_ be somewhat pleasant without _your_ idea of a solution!"

"Okay, Maxie," Alec returned with a clap, "Nice work. I'm wrong. I can admit it. But I still say you'd be more pleasant after a really nice rumble in the sack!"

"Is that your preferred method?" she asked him, her head again slightly cocked.

"Well, yes, actually. Wait, no I'm always pleasant, what is that supposed to mean?" he asked her.

"Haha. Whatever you say, Pretty Boy. So…I'm feelin' lucky. What do you say… want to take me on in some air hockey…" She whispered into his ear so that no one else would hear her finish, "One transgenic versus another?"

"I like the sound of that, actually, " he whispered back, close enough to smell her hair.

"Cool," she said as she grabbed his hand to pull him off the stool. Her hand, she didn't take the time to notice, rested all too comfortably into his. But of course, she slipped it right back out, just as naturally, as she placed the mini puck in place.

"You ready to get your ass kicked?" she asked him playfully with a grin as she grabbed onto the handle.

"Come on, Max. Are you questioning my skills here?" he asked her, getting a hold of his own.

"No, just reminding you of your reputation here. I mean, how many times is it, that you've been on the receiving end of an ass-kicking from me?"

Alec sent her a playful stare before answering with a question of his own. "Why are you thinking of my ass so much, Maxie? Wonder what else is running through your fantasies?"

Max couldn't help laughing as his typical ridiculous assumptions, even if it was obvious he didn't really believe them. "Who said that was my fantasy?" She asked him.

"Then what is?" Alec asked her with an intense stare.

Max didn't know how to return his stare. She suddenly couldn't tell if he was joking anymore. "Wouldn't you like to know," she responded, trying to keep the conversation from becoming serious before she analyzed things too much.

"And anyway," she continued, not giving him the chance to continue with this line of conversation, "You never answered me from before. How many times have you gotten your ass handed to you courtesy of me? Cuz you'll be adding one more to that number by the time the night is over."

Alec looked up and opened his mouth to respond, but was stuck it seemed, trying to think of an appropriate answer. "Well, now that you mention it, I guess our relationship _has _been more or less a love-hate, with more emphasis on the hate."

She threw him a look, "_Relationship?_ And what are you trying to say, that you hate me?"

Alec grinned at her. Even in a good mood, he still knew how to get under her skin. "No, I don't think I would use the word 'hate' to describe what I feel for you, Maxie."

She smiled, trying to ignore the feeling coming up her spine as she contemplated what exactly it was that Alec felt for her. "Well, what I feel for you, Alec, is contempt, I guess I would say," she offered.

"Contempt? And here I thought it was some deep-seeded hate!" he commented.

She put a coin in the machine so that they could start. "Now, why would I hate you, Alec?" she asked. "The fact is, you're not that deep on my radar! I don't think about you enough to 'hate' you!"

Alec nodded, "Whatever you say, Maxie. So, am I up first?"

She shrugged, "Well, it _is_ ladies first after all. So go right ahead!" She tossed him the puck. She didn't want to ask, but it did bother her. Although she was in a good mood, she didn't want to be so serious and analyze anything. But his comment… "What did you mean by that?" she couldn't help asking as he lined up the puck.

He grinned but kept his eyes focused on the puck. "Don't worry about it, Maxie. Right now, you should be worried about saving your reputation, cuz I'm about to skill you right here in front of everybody."

Max laughed, "Okay, Pretty Boy! Whatever _you_ say. Cuz from this end, it looks like you're the one that's goin' down!"

He sent her a hard shot that went straight to her goal. Max's reflexes were fast, though, and she dodged it with barely an effort. She noticed, though, as she felt the pressure of the puck, he was definitely playing all out. It had more strength and precision behind it than a normal person's would have.

_You wanna play it that way?_, she thought, a cool smile forming on her face as her lips curved naturally upward.

"So, Max," he commented, "this is great fun and all, but I think we need some stakes here. You know, give me some motivation to win besides pissing you off."

Max sent him a glare along with a hard shot right at his goal, which unfortunately for her, he blocked. "Fine," she said, "I'm game I guess. Name your price."

Alec grinned. "I was hoping you would say that!"

"Okay," he said, after a pause and several attempts to score on her. "I know what I want, but you name your price first."

"What?" Max said, "I want to hear yours first!"

"Ladies first, Max, just like you said. As unfeminine as I've seen you act before, you still are a lady."

Max responded with a hard thrust of the puck. So hard, that it flew off the table and hit a cup resting on the bar, causing it to fall over and the drink to spill.

"Sorry!" Max called and gave an apologetic grin.

Alec laughed at her reaction, only making her more on the edge.

She pulled a new puck out and slammed it onto the table, careful to have more control over her shot this time. "I win…," she began, as she tossed a perfect shot to his end, which he responded to with a perfect block, "And you have to cover for me at work for the next 3 days! Sound fair?"

Alec nodded, "I can deal with that. Okay."

"Which includes," she continued, "any job that Logan might come up with."

Alec sent her a stare of mock concern along with a very accurate shot (which she blocked just as easily). "You want me to be Logan's errand boy? Doesn't he have enough informants to do that stuff for him? Besides, I'm not into the man the way you are, makes it difficult to _care_."

Max frowned at him while still paying attention to the game. "I didn't ask you to _care_. It's just my stakes. If it's too much, you could always back out now!" She finished with a teasing pouty face.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll be Logan's errand boy and do twice my work at Jam Pony. But you haven't heard what's really going to be the outcome of this, you know, when _I_ win."

Max returned his rolling eyes. "Whatever, name your price. It doesn't matter, since you aren't winning, but I'll humor you by hearing you out."

He grinned before telling her his offer. "All right, so _I _win," he began, "And you have to be nice to me for 3 days. Which in the world of Alec also includes you giving me a massage."

Max found herself burning with his bargain, but out of anger or desire, she didn't know. Either way, she was suddenly getting very worked up over what started out as a simple competition. "What, I'll just provide you with your own massage therapy for 3 days straight? I don't think so!"

Alec frowned, "Now, Maxie, where's your competitive spirit? You can't handle my offer? Besides, I thought it didn't matter since I'm just gonna lose anyway."

Max continued to glare at him but did lighten up with his statement. It was true, anyway. What did it matter, since he was going to lose no matter what? "My competitive spirit?" she repeated as she set up the perfect angle for a killer shot, "Oh, _here_ it is," she finished as she sent it toward his end, a grin back on her face.

Unfortunately, Alec, also being a transgenic, easily blocked it, although it did take more of his focus than any other shot had so far. "So is it a deal?" he asked her.

"You're on," Max replied.

Alec grinned eagerly before starting to laugh to himself.

"What is so funny over there?" Max asked him as she continued to send shots toward his end.

"I can't wait to see you try and be nice to me!" he told her.

"Aren't I nice to you?" Max asked, a little unnerved by his comment. It was like when he'd said earlier that she hated him or something. _Is that really how I act around him?_ she questioned, not taking the time to lose focus on the game long enough to answer it.

Alec laughed. "Just wait, Maxie. I win this, you're going to experience the toughest 3 days of your life!"

"Hey!" Max argued, "What exactly do you mean by that? I am nice to you! I… I've saved your ass countless times!"

"Sure," he said, "After you do that whole, 'you don't deserve this, I'm gonna kick your ass for this' thing."

He grinned as he noticed his comments were really getting to her. He enjoyed toying with Max too much. He knew it, but it didn't make it any less fun.

"Well, maybe I'm just trying to help you out, ever thought of that?" she asked him, "Like maybe, if I tell you enough times it'll finally sink into your thick head, and you'll quit acting so stupid, putting your life in jeopardy." _Is that true?_, she thought to herself as she said it. _I just want him to be safe?_

"Sure, Maxie," Alec accepted before arguing his own version, "Or maybe, it's that I drive you crazy."

At his last comment, she found her defenses hindered enough to not block his perfect shot. Finally there was something on the scoreboard, although it wasn't in her favor. "Damnit!" she couldn't help saying as he scored.

She looked up at him in building frustration. "That was a cheap shot!" she argued, before trying to turn the tables on him, "You know, just like the companions you pay for!"

Alec frowned at her, "Uh, uh, Maxie. You're not gonna make me lose my cool. I'm all game, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Max frowned as she kept sending perfect shots at his goal. _How come he keeps blocking me?_, she thought, annoyed. There had to be something she could say to knock his mind off balance enough for him to screw up so she could tie the game.

"Hey," she said to him, motioning to his right, "Cute girl over there. Looks like she's holding up a number for you… oh, my! Is that being held up in her cleavage?"

Alec only smiled deeper at Max. "Nice try! But I still remember what happened in the arena. Kind of hard to forget pain like that."

Max did remember taking advantage of him in that situation. She shrugged, "What, it was worth a shot."

"Nothing you could say will make me lose focus, Maxie. My eyes are only on you right now."

The unnerving comment gave Max an idea. She'd played this angle before. Would it work on Alec? _How the hell could it _not _work!_, she thought. She'd seen his stares, his glances. The way all his attention came to her, even if someone else was in the room.

_Wait, am I unnerving myself here or him_?, she thought trying to focus more on her idea than whatever Alec's reactions and intentions were to her.

As Max kept focus on her arm, she began moving her body as if stretching. "Man," she complained, "This is really giving me a muscle cramp." With the one hand that was free, she started massaging her neck before reaching her hand down to the bottom of her shirt. _Why not,_ she thought, _give him a preview of what he's gonna end up missing when he loses!_

"Or maybe, it's just too hot in here," she added, lifting her shirt right over her head in one swift motion and immediately following with a shot that went directly into his goal.

She was wearing a tank top underneath, so she didn't care, but it certainly showed off her curves much better now than from a minute before.

She tossed Alec a devious look, "Oh, how about that? I guess we're tied now!"

"Touché," Alec replied.

"What do you mean?" Max asked him innocently.

"That was a cheap shot."

Max shrugged, "Whatever. I was hot. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," he replied with a grin. "I'm getting hot myself. This is more intense than I thought it would be."

"Are you gonna start the next round, or what?" she asked him, getting impatient. Just what was he planning?

She watched as Alec slowly lifted his shirt off, leaving her only to stare at his defined, naked muscles. The dim lighting from the bar seemed to reflect on them in all the right places, and she found herself getting warm again, even though she'd just removed her own shirt.

"That's much better," Alec said with a grin, taking note of her reaction. _Good_, he thought. _Two can play at this game, Maxie!_

Max opened her mouth to reply, but found the sight of him too distracting. She gave up on shooting him some comeback and instead focused on guarding her goal.

* * *

a/n: so what do you think? Keep going? 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Original Cindy walked into the bar just like always, and immediately noticed some type of commotion going on at the center. But there was a large crowd, so it was difficult to see. She walked to the bar. "Hey, can't a girl get a beer? And what is the fuss down there? Is there a fight goin' down?"

The bartender smiled as he handed her a full glass, "I don't know what's goin' on. From here, looks like strip-air hockey, or somethin'."

"Strip-air hockey?" OC asked with one brow raised. _You have got to be kidding me_. "Idiots here reach a new low, I guess. Damn, never underestimate what a couple of bored drunks'll do." She stood up to see if maybe one of the players was some hot female. _Least one good thing could come of this- a good view._

"What the…" she said as recognition as well as a grin spread itself across her face. "What are those two doing down there?"

Just as she finished her question, Sketchy plopped beside her. "Cindy! At least I found you." He let out a breath and ordered a beer to join her with. "Man, where the hell are Max and Alec? I can't find anyone in here with all this commotion."

OC nodded toward the center of the crowd. "Suga and Golden Boy are gettin' it on down there!" she told him.

They heard some female whistling and wondered what was going on now. As they both forced their way into the crowd, they were shocked at the sight.

Just seeing Max and Alec play a game together was odd enough, but the fact that they both weren't wearing much on top…well, and Alec wasn't even wearing _anything_ on top… "Holy crap! Look at all the guys cheering for Max!" Sketchy commented, as Cindy noted all the men goggling at her friend's figure.

"And look at all those waste of good straight females, droolin' over Golden Boy! I mean, boy looks good, but… damn!" She took a second look at Alec's glinting muscles. "Do you look like that without a shirt, Sketch?"

Sketchy gave her a miserable look, indicating his answer. "I think I need to get wasted fast. Beer!" he yelled as he headed back to the bar for a quick refill.

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Max wasn't quite sure at what point her carefree, happy mood had flown out the window. All she was sure of now was that she absolutely had to win, no matter what. She also was questioning the stakes. _3 days of my work? I need to make sure Logan has one hell of a mission in store! _Alec deserved a hell of a lot worse than that! Especially with how he was acting now, trying to get her all hot and bothered so she'd screw up.

"Oh! That was so close, Alec!" some big-boobed ditz cheered on. _THAT is what's driving me nuts_, Max realized. Her mood was fine until his very own set of cheerleaders had come into the match. Didn't those bimbos have anything better to do than root for Alec? He was cocky enough on his own, he didn't need their cheers!

"Go Alec!" another one said.

"Would you shut it!" Max yelled to them, shooting a puck purposely so that it ricocheted off the edge and was heading for the girl's head.

Alec, unfortunately, reached out to grab it before it hit the ditz, apparently causing pain to shoot through his arm. "Geez, Max!" he said, "Could you have hit that a little harder?"

"Oh, thanks Alec!" the girl said, as if he'd saved her life or something.

"Seriously? Do you even know him?" Max couldn't help asking them during the game's momentary pause.

"I know a good man when I see one," the girl replied.

"Oh, please!" Max said as she rolled her eyes, "You just can't take your eyes off his shiny, sweat drenched hard abs!" Max meant the comment to prove a point that they were superficial twits, but the comment caused a blush to come over her cheeks.

"Maxie!" Alec said, beaming, "And here I thought you didn't think about me much! Well, except for my ass, of course."

Max ignored the comment referring to his butt. She had no intention of thinking about that at all, at least without severe pain coming with it. "Yea, I think about you," Max told him with a seductive stare and smile. It was natural, with her cat DNA. She didn't even have to try. Especially in what she was wearing, or rather, what she was left wearing. She enjoyed the lacking focus that Alec was starting to show as she continued. However, she couldn't help but take the moment to get a jab at him. "When I'm picturing your face resembling something along the lines of a wrecked car!" she finished.

Alec laughed, "Don't fool yourself, Maxie. Look how worked up you're getting! You have nothing to worry, I told you, my eyes are only on you."

Max glared at him, "What, you think I'm _jealous_?"

Alec shrugged, "Maybe."

"Or maybe," Max argued, "I'm just sick of hearing their whiny little voices!"

"Hey!" a girl argued.

"Shut it!" Max growled at the girl, giving her a look that finally did silence the ditz.

"Forget them," Max decided. "This is about you and me."

Alec only responded by starting the game back up, which was now tied 6-6, from various turning points in the game. First to 10 was the winner. This was probably the longest game the bar had ever seen. Usually, more attention was given to the pool table, but tonight, the two transgenics were providing good entertainment for the entire bar.

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Max beamed as the shot went in. The moment of happiness was quick, however, as he immediately countered with a perfectly accurate shot yet again! This time he hadn't even taken a moment to make his usual comment or smirk. It seemed it was all game now.

Alec cursed silently as he realized she'd gotten him again. Every time he thought he had her, she had some way of distracting him just enough to gain back a point and tie the game. Or maybe a small part of him was letting her tie it up. He enjoyed baiting her to see just how far she would go to beat him. He loved competition and winning, of course. But it was quite possible that he loved toying with Max more. Something in the passion that he could spark in her eyes, be it anger or that attraction that she tried desperately to ignore and hide, got him going. It was like instinct for him. If losing a point or two meant that Max would become that much more worked up seemed to cause his hand to flinch a distance not visible to the human eye.

Max, although trained to last through strenuous physical activity for an extended period of time, was finding herself a bit damp from the workout she was getting. The shots were coming so fast that she had to move her feet just as quickly as her arms to stay focused and react in time to save herself from being scored on. Or maybe she was still a bit flushed thanks to the naked, sweat glinting chest that she had to catch a glimpse of every single time she aimed for his goal. _Screw exposure!_ she thought angrily as she realized her body's reaction to his antics. _I'm taking this bitch down!_

She stopped his next shot by grabbing the puck right off the table with her bare hands.

"Hey!" Alec started to complain, "That's illegal. What, you've given up on beating me fair and square?"

"All's fair in love and war," Max returned with a tone that held seduction just as much as anger.

"And which one is this?" Alec asked her with a suggestive stare and grin. He couldn't help licking his lips as he found his mouth feeling very dry all of a sudden as he took in the sight that lay in front of him. He'd been so focused on his own actions in the game and beating her that he hadn't really allowed himself to notice her form. He wondered for a moment if there was something he could do or say to upset her enough to try and slap him as she usually reacted. He wasn't sure, though, if he could handle the distance between them if she were to approach him, even if to slap him upside the head. Right now she looked far too appealing to his eyes, the way her damp, thin black tank top was clinging to her curves. He followed the view up to her face to realize she was still giving him that stare. He took in how full and inviting her lips looked and instead wondered what words lay behind her stare. Was she giving in to her attraction finally? Something about her moves, actions, and clearly her temperature showed him that she enjoyed his company far more than she probably was willing to admit or even realize. But maybe she was ready to quit fighting it.

"Which one do you think?" she asked him, leaving him open to make a mistake in his next choice of words.

"Both," he answered with an intense stare, catching her off guard enough that her face produced a look of momentary shock as she lost the firm, confident expression she'd been holding up until then.

She ignored his eyes' advances, as usual, by changing the subject. It seemed she wasn't ready after all. "We're tied 9 to 9 right? Next point wins. I think we should take a short break."

"You're wanting to drag this out even more?" he asked her. "Or is it that you want more time to strategize against me?" A different set of words tugged in his head, wanting to be heard. But he held them in. That was the other thing about Max. Even though she avoided and denied everything, he let her. As crazy as she made him, he held onto immeasurable patience with her for some reason. He _could_ just get in her face and see what would happen, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Maybe it was some foolish hope that he was still holding onto, but he wanted her to come to her own senses about her attraction and desire for him. She couldn't ignore her body forever.

Well...maybe he was underestimating her. He knew that _he _couldn't ignore desire for too long. But maybe Max had more patience than he'd first realized.

Max laughed in response. "I don't need to think about beating you. It comes naturally!"

Alec snorted before feigning a more serious look to show that he accepted her take on her own skills against him. "Okay, then what is it then?"

"I need a drink," she answered simply before departing for the bar.

Alec shook his head and his stare from watching her backside as she walked away. "You and me both!" he mumbled before following her, only because that was the direction of the bar.

* * *

As Max found her way to the bar, she was greeted by a familiar face. "Damn, boo! Who knew that a little game of air hockey versus your favorite boy would be all it took ta get ya all hot and bothered!" Cindy greeted her. 

Max shot her friend a defensive stare. She couldn't help it. "He's not my boy," she mumbled before ordering a drink. "So glad you finally could make it!" she added to her friend.

OC laughed at her. "I guess I should be late more often. You and Golden Boy down there might finally admit..." She trailed off, realizing she wasn't quite drunk enough yet to say the things she wanted to tell Max. Being blunt was nothing new for Cindy or Max, but Cindy knew Max well enough to know that if the words escaped her lips, Max would more than likely only deny it further. Cindy wasn't into men, but that didn't mean she couldn't tell when others _were_. Max's denial of her obvious attraction to Alec had resulted in a more subtle reaction from Cindy before, with little reminders here and there that Max was just a little too hard on the guy and seemed obsessed with making him out to be the bad guy. But seeing Max's reaction to him during their game, it made Cindy lose some of her apprehension about the whole thing.

But the look in Max's eyes told Cindy she didn't need to say it to get the point across. Max already knew what was coming next, but that didn't mean she would listen to it in the literal sense.

"Yea, what can I say?" Cindy continued finally. "I heard there was strip-air hockey goin' down. I thought I'd at least get a good view. Not that you ain't totally with it, but I can't really enjoy seein' my best homegirl the same way I could some lickety chick, ya know what I mean? Needless to say, Original Cindy needs a few more before you lose more than ya jacket!"

Max laughed. "Nothing more is coming off, okay! I wouldn't give Alec the satisfaction."

"Oh, girl, I'm seein' his stares! I think you already gave him _plenty_ of satisfaction!" Cindy replied with another large swig of her drink.

As if on cue, Alec mosied right next to Max to take the empty seat beside her and order his own drink. Max quickly killed her beer before ordering a shot of tequila. She was really hoping he hadn't heard Cindy's comment.

Unfortunately, his greeting indicated that her hopes wouldn't be realized. "It's true, Maxie," he told her after ordering himself a beer. "I'm feeling very satisfied right now. But I'm always open for more satisfaction!" He suggestively wiggled his eyebrows and gave her the signature smirk that had helped her to name him.

"I'll bet," Max mumbled in response but didn't face him to say it.

"Especially if it's coming from you," he finished in a low voice and a cocky grin.

That comment did cause her to turn and face him. She stared in shock to find he hadn't had the decency to clothe himself again. It wasn't like he could be overheated while drinking something refreshing. He was _completely_ ego-centric. Why else would he continue to show off his stomach? It was unnerving! "Geez, Alec!" she couldn't help but say to him. "Can't you put your shirt back on already!"

Alec laughed slightly. "Well, I'm only going to take it back off when we get back to our little game over there," he told her. "It's getting pretty intense down there, don't you think?"

Max pursed her lips and tried not to comment.

Alec slipped his shirt back on in spite of his complaint. "Just how long of a break were you planning? I'd like to get my reward started immediately if you don't mind!" he joked.

Max downed the shot and faced him again. "Okay, Pretty Boy, you may as well rip that off right now, cuz after that comment, I'm ready to can your ass once and for all and end this ego that seems to be radiating from your thick head."

Alec laughed and instead of replying finished his beer.

Max didn't remove her stare. "Or do I need to take it off _for _you?" she asked him.

"Actually, I think I'd really enjoy that," Alec admitted while still teasing her.

"Well if you leave it up to me, I'll have to take your _face_ off, too, so you might as well do it yourself." She stood up from her seat and turned her attention to Cindy. "Save my seat for me, will ya? I'll be back to celebrate my win in about a minute!" She gave her friend a determined and confident look.

"Actually, this is Sketchy's seat, but I guess he's still tied up puking his guts out in the weaker sex's bathroom," Cindy told her. "Poor guy wanted to get wasted fast when he saw Pretty Boy's fan club over there!" Cindy mumbled a further comment, "'sides, something tells me Alec ain't no one minute man!"

Max rolled her eyes and ignored the comment concerning Alec. "No worries, this will all be over soon enough."

Right then, Sketchy came back to his seat to finally greet Max. He was fairly drunk by the looks of his expression and movement. "Max! Alec! The beautiful couple from Jam Pony, representin' down there! I love it! But Max, I really think I'd love it more if you wore this sort of top at work tomorrow."

Max however, had already started to make her way back to the air hockey table. It seemed she couldn't have fun anymore until she'd put Alec firmly in his place.

"Good to see you, Sketch!" Alec said with a nod toward his friend before undressing himself on top again so that he could get back to the game. "Hold this for me, will ya? I don't want some wierd girl sniffing it or something," Alec finished as he shoved his shirt at Sketchy.

Sketchy stared again at Alec's naked abdomen and then back as he watched the transgenic get back to his game. Sketch turned back to the bartender. "Definitely need another beer over here!" he told the man in a hurry.

* * *

a/n: thanks ya all for your encouragement to continue this! So I'm thinking an alternate ending- one where Alec wins and one where Max wins! What do you think? 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Both transgenics were trying their best to ensure the other's defeat. Max had to admit, the methods she was using to win tonight might have been considered desperate, if you ignored his own cheap attempts to get her to lose. She held no shame, though. She was merely following a simple strategy on how to win- capatilize upon your opponent's weaknesses. In any situation where she had an opponent to defeat, she would first succeed by making them lose their cool so they would find themselves vulnerable for the taking.

With Alec, she knew what would make him lose focus enough to slip up. She had to play on the fact that he was a man, and like all other men, easily manipulated with a little show of some skin, a huge smile, and a compliment to boost the ego that really made her want to take him down a peg or two. Only with Alec, it seemed that there was something more to the fact that he was looking at a woman who was supposedly interested him. The way he was looking at her, the way he'd _been _looking at her...all of his actions, previous and current, made Max question just who was in control here. He definitely seemed interested in her, but she'd seen the way he acted around usual partners. And it definitely wasn't the same way that he was acting right now or the way he'd been acting up to this point.

Alec's weakness in turn proved to be her own. He wanted her, and as many men that had desired her before, there was a difference in Alec's desire. Her body's reactions were proof enough of that. The longer this game went on, the more she had to stare at his naked chest that seemed to just call for her touch every time she glimpsed at it, the more she had to realize- it was mutual.

That realization and the unwillingness to accept it was causing her to falter. _Damnit! Why couldn't I challenge Alec on a night when I was just a bit more sure of myself!_ Max wished more than anything that he would quit making his usual suggestions.

"So, Maxie," Alec began. _Great!_ Max thought. _He's gonna try and get the game point here. What the hell is gonna do this time?_ "Would you mind using scented oils when you're nice to me later?"

"Anything for you, babe!" Max answered sarcastically. "But if I were you, I'd be thinking more of the excuses you're gonna need when you have to break all of your plans for the next 3 days!"

"Didn't you know, Maxie? My plans are only you, for the next 3 days and every day after. Or should I say nights?"

Max laughed out loud. "Alec, you really don't need to keep making those comments of yours! Didn't _you _know? I'm completely unaffected! Don't waste your time or breath! Why don't you stick to the game instead?"

Max knew, however, that she was far from unaffected by the comment, not to mention the sexy grin that came along with it. She struggled to keep her focus on the game instead of Alec and whatever feelings and attraction went along with him at the moment.

Alec could not stop grinning for the life of him. He had never expected Max's idea to turn out so successfully. She was more worked up than he'd ever seen, and she was _still_ in complete denial, which only made it more amusing to push all of her buttons. Not to mention the other benefits with how hard she was trying to win. He had to hand it to her, many of her scores on him were thanks in more than a small part to her sexy stares and moves. Max was probably the most desirable woman he'd ever come across. _And I'll be damned if I don't get a chance with her_.

It wasn't just because she was hot, though that was clearly affecting his game tonight. He had never felt the way he did over anyone with Max. The truth was, many of his come-on's and grins came without any thought. Being around Max brought a certain happiness to him along with the challenge. Something about her just drew his attention toward her, even when it was answered by that tough chick attitude of hers, or worse, a slap upside the head. _I must be a massochist!_ he couldn't help thinking. _But if pain looks this good_, he thought, again sneaking in a stare at Max's desirable form in front of him, _bring it on!_

"So..." Max asked him, her voice almost purring.

Alec grinned with the bittersweet moment that was surely going to take place. What would she try next? It would be more than a pleasure to see, but he knew that if it really was amazing, it would end with him losing the game. Though Alec could live with the consequences of losing, the possibility of having Max rub his muscles was not something he wanted to see slip away.

"This is getting boring, don't you think? Maybe we should call it quits. I'll give you a massage, you do my work tomorrow, we'll call it a day. How does that sound?"

Alec found himself disappointed, yet also amused. So she'd given up on beating him? Or was she just buying time to think of a way to defeat him? "I'm far from bored, Maxie," he told her.

Max again found herself tense at his unnerving comment. She started to panic. _What if I really end up losing this?_ "Fine! I was trying to be nice and not completely humiliate you for the next 3 days, but I guess you want to do this the hard way."

"Sure, Maxie," Alec told her simply.

Max felt more unsure at his short reply. Surely he had more to say than that. "And what do you mean by that?" she asked him, though feeling anxious about what the answer would be.

"It sounds to me like you're not so sure you're going to beat me here," he explained. "Or maybe the truth is, you want to lose."

"I cannot believe you!" Max replied. "Why the hell would I _want_ to lose? You are so full of yourself!"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know, Maxie. You tell me. From over here, it looks like you're getting pretty worked up over a little game."

"Yea?" Max answered. "What about you? You're actually sweating over there. I wonder what's raising the temperature so much?" She was now the one smiling confidently.

Alec laughed slightly. "Well, that would be the sight of you, wouldn't it?"

Max tensed immediately at the comment. Her focus flinched for a split second as she looked up to directly meet his eyes instead of block his shot. _What did he just say?_

As she stared at him, she noted the golden glints of desire evident in the green swirls she was looking into. Their eyes held for a moment before her senses took in the delayed sound of a puck entering her goal.

---------------------------------------------

"Maxie, babe, why don't you come a little closer? Or do you know a new technique that allows you to soothe my muscles from all the way over there?" he asked her with a satisfied smile.

Max frankly didn't want to soothe anything of his at the moment. She was too pissed that he'd just beaten her. It was a fluke, really. He'd practically been openly cheating the whole time, the way he was taking advantage of how confused she was feeling. Was it the dark lighting of the place, the music getting to her? Something about her desire toward him in spite of how pissed off she was only enhanced her anger and passion.

She had to hand it to him. He did look like he could use some rest and relaxation at the moment. His muscles did look really tired. But why should she have to be the one to "soothe" them?! _Maybe because you're the idiot who agreed to his stupid bet!_ she reminded herself, wondering why oh why she hadn't reconsidered it. He'd asked her in the heat of the moment. It was hardly fair.

"Max…?" he repeated, wondering why she wasn't reacting at all. He expected either some raging explanation to why the rules didn't apply to her, a slap across the face or a kick to his groin, or why the hell not- her touch against his tired arms. But silence?

Max held up her hand in protest. "Hold on," she said.

_Here it comes!, _he thought, still smiling. She was going to try and work her way out of it. He couldn't wait to hear what excuse she could come up with for why a deal they had made fair and square somehow no longer applied to her now that the result had come through. He folded his arms and gave her a pressing look to continue.

She opened her mouth to say some reason why it wasn't going to happen, but found that she couldn't come up with a good reason why. She closed her lips and said something neither he nor herself was really expecting. "I'm going to need a shot first. Don't follow me, I'll be right back."

Now it was Alec's turn to be speechless. This was quite amusing to him. Was she going to take the opportunity to bail? No matter, it would only make him laugh. It wasn't like she could escape the fate of what had happened. Sooner or later, she'd have to accept that she couldn't run away from the stakes they'd agreed to.

------------

"Max! I can't believe you lost!" Cindy told her as Max approached the bar again.

"I need a drink!" she told the bartender. "3 shots. Lay 'em out."

"Don't you want a chaser?" the man asked Max as he poured them all in a row.

Max answered him by immediately downing the first one by itself.

"What are you gettin' ready to do?" Cindy asked. She wondered why Max was drinking instead of kicking Alec's ass for winning. But Cindy didn't know that the two transgenics had placed stakes on the game.

Max turned to her friend. "If I'm going to do this, I'm gonna do it right, and I may as well enjoy myself."

Cindy was confused. "Huh?"

"Who said I had to suffer? I just have to be nice to him. It won't be that hard, really!" She didn't look the least concerned. And she definitely wasn't going to allow herself to recall her thoughts during the game that had contributed to her loss.

"And is that why you're taking 3 shots?" Cindy asked her with a doubting stare.

Max shrugged. "I was thirsty."

Cindy nodded. "Riiight. Okay, Max. So I guess there was a bet goin' on? You have ta…be nice?"

Max nodded as she handed the bartender the first glass back which was now empty. "I have to be nice to him for 3 days."

Cindy laughed.

"What?" Max asked. Now Cindy, too, felt that Max being nice to Alec was amusing. "Is it so hard to picture?" she asked. "I'm nice to Alec!"

Cindy only kept laughing. "Girl! Define _nice_!"

Max threw her a defensive stare. "He just gets on my nerves sometimes, that's all."

"And under your skin," Cindy pointed out.

"Yea!" Max admitted. "So what? You'll see. I am going to be so nice to him that it'll drive him insane! He'll be begging for me to leave him alone! You wait!"

Cindy gave Max a doubting look. "Max, have you really thought about this?"

Max shrugged. "What is there to think about? I'm going to be nice to him. It's not like it'll be hard. Give him a little compliment here and there, make him a good meal, give him a massage, do some of his runs at work-"

"Woah, wait!" Cindy interrupted. "Give him a massage?"

Max rolled here eyes. "I know, can you believe his nerve? He actually already brought that up. Whatever. It's not like I haven't had to do more ridiculous things before."

Cindy stared at Max. "Girl, ain't you forgettin' something?" Max was acting oblivious to the game that had just taken place. It hadn't gone unnoticed, the tension between the two. That had contributed to the amusement the whole place was getting in watching the match.

Max gave her an expression indicating she didn't understand what the problem was. "Like...?"

"Girl!" Cindy continued. "Now I realize that I'm not swingin' that way, but even I got to say 'damn' when I see Hot Boy without his shirt. You tellin' a sista that you aint just a little bit turned on by your boy?"

Max frowned. "What are you trying to say, Cindy?" _Please, turned on?_ Max knew that she was a little flushed after their game, but duh, she'd just worked her butt off in a crowded room. Like Alec's sex appeal was responsible, yea right! _Wait...Alec's _sex_ appeal? _Max continued to consider Cindy's question. _Wait.. Alec's _appeal_? Please! He's about as pleasant as Normal on a bad day!_

But Max couldn't shake the feeling that something in Cindy's question held some truth to it. Max couldn't deny in her mind that Alec was fairly attractive. But he'd been designed that way. And besides, it wasn't like Max even cared about that type of thing when it came to guys. _Then how do you explain how you reacted earlier?_ she asked herself.

"Just...I don't know, Max," Cindy explained. "I'm picturing you givin' ya boy a massage, and I don't know, girl. If _I_ was in ya shoes, havin' to be nice to some fine-ass female, I don't think it would be easy! It'd be killin' me, ya know? Bein' _that_ close to someone that damn fine..."

"Don't worry!" Max quickly stopped her from going further. The last thing Max needed was to picture Alec shirtless as she stroked his tired muscles. The thought alone was enough to make her question just how easy this would all prove to be. "I'm gonna be so nice to him that he won't know what hit him!"

"Kill him with kindness?" Cindy asked, guessing at Max's new plan to still somehow be the one in charge even though she'd lost.

"Exactly!" Max said, liking the sounds of that. She happily downed the 2nd shot.

Cindy shook her head.

"What now?" Max asked, wishing Cindy would quit pointing out how great of an effect Alec had on her.

"Girl, I really don't think you will last 3 days!" Cindy admitted. "Like I was sayin' earlier, I'd be done after prolly 10 minutes!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Max returned with a frown. "And anyway, I got it covered!"

"Sorry, boo. I tell it like it is, you know that."

"No worries, Cindy. Like I said, he can only handle so much kindness from me." Max smiled, looking quite confident. She took the last shot. "He has no idea what I'm capable of."

Cindy laughed to herself this time, since Max was already headed back to find Alec. _Whatever, girl!_ Something told Cindy that Alec had a fairly good idea as to what Max was capable of, maybe even more than Max herself. _This should be interesting_. Cindy couldn't wait to hear what happened the next day at work.

--------------------------

Max was shocked to find that Alec wasn't standing by the table where she specifically had asked him to wait. She turned around and scanned the room to see where he was. "Where the hell did he go?" she wondered out loud as she looked.

"Max!" Sketchy called. "That was an amazing game! Well…the parts that I saw."

"You mean you _didn't_ spend the whole night in the bathroom?" Max asked him rudely. It seemed being nice to Alec meant letting out her frustration on everyone else.

"Ah.. hey now, I thought you were going to be nice?" he asked her.

Max eyed him suspiciously. "And how would you know that? You weren't here when we decided that. Did you just talk to Alec?" she asked.

"Well, yea. He went home. He thought you left."

"I told him I'd be right back!" Max complained angrily.

"He looked really tired," Sketchy continued.

"Oh, really?" Max asked with a devious look coming over her face. "Poor, tired, Alec," she said out loud, mocking and practicing concern. "I guess I better go help soothe those tired, aching muscles, huh?" She smiled as she finished. Alec was most assuredly just getting home right about then. If he thought he was in for a nice long night's sleep, he had another thing coming! She would make sure that he didn't get any rest tonight!

Sketchy looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "Am I still drunk?" he asked.

Max ignored the question and only held that strange grin that was spread across her face. "Gotta blaze, Sketch! I promised Alec I would be nice to him!"

Before Sketchy could reply, she'd already made her way to the door. He looked again to the bar. "I need another beer!"

He approached Cindy, who didn't even need to ask what had happened this time. He turned to face her as he paid for his latest drink. "I am gonna feel like shit tomorrow," he told her.

"It's Jam Pony," Cindy reminded him. "You feel like shit every day."

-------------------------

Max pulled up to the familiar place feeling annoyed. Here she was having to go out of her way just to finish this the right way. Oh, well, it would only be that much more satisfying to see the shocked look on his face. There was no way he could actually believe she would go through with it. _But I'm not gonna back down_, she decided. _A bet is a bet. And I'm gonna deliver_. And like she'd said, it wasn't so horrible. She'd had to flirt before with more disgusting looking men to get what she wanted or make something easier. She could at least appreciate that Alec was good looking. It wouldn't be hard to pretend not being repulsed by the sight of him or having to make contact with his skin.

At least, it shouldn't be. Cindy did have a point. Max had a way of turning everything about Alec into something annoying that she didn't want anything to do with. _Time to get over it!_ she told herself as she crept up to the door.

Max let herself in with ease. _Hmph_! she thought, amused. _Typical._ On the counter was an open bottle of champagne. _Champagne?_ _Celebrating, are we?_ She helped herself to the glass that was half full. _Hope he doesn't mind me finishing his glass_! she thought happily.

She wondered where he was exactly. _Great, on top of everything else, I have to wait for him?_ But then she heard the water going in the shower.

Max threw her head back in annoyance. Patience wasn't her strongest suit. She threw off her jacket and walked over to the door, anticipating the look on his face that was sure to be complete shock once he opened the door to find her standing on the other side.

Good thing she didn't have to wait long.

As the door opened, steam escaped with it. But Max found that it was herself that was left holding a shocked expression with her mouth gaping. The visual she was getting of Alec wearing a loose fitting blue towel as his only cover left her speechless. The abs that she'd been staring at all night were now only inches from her, wet and gleaming.

"Max?" he asked her in a low voice. What was she doing there? He thought she'd be happily avoiding him right about now.

"I…" she began, putting back on her face that of someone as nice as she could possibly imagine. She couldn't believe he'd rendered her speechless. She hoped she hadn't blushed or something ridiculous, but the burning she felt indicated that she was probably pretty transparent in that moment.

"Thought you'd enjoy the rest of my champagne?" he asked her, noting the empty glass in her hand, and also taking some of the pressure off of her of coming up with something to say.

She nodded. "Yea, that's it. I didn't think you'd mind."

He shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Whatever. I'll just get another glass. I was celebrating something."

"I gathered that," she told him, trying not to look annoyed.

"Well you see, I don't know if you knew this, but I won something tonight," he told her with the smile of a boy who'd just opened his first present on Christmas morning.

Max mocked a look of confusion. "Really? And in the rare occasion of you winning you just had to break open the bottle, huh?"

Alec laughed. "Yea, that's it! You mind pouring me a glass while I get dressed?" He wasn't asking though, as he disappeared into his bedroom.

_Just what am I doing here?_ Max asked herself as she went ahead and got out a 2nd glass for him to enjoy. _Trying to be nice?_ Max knew she'd had some sort of plan in mind when she'd come here, something about making Alec miserable, but for the life of her, she didn't know what to do next. _Maybe I should give up on planning_, she decided. After all, seeing as she'd lost the game, it was getting her no where.

She tried to take herself back to her good, carefree mood that she'd started the night with. Maybe being nice to Alec wouldn't be that big of a deal.

"So," he said as he returned from getting dressed. He took the glass and enjoyed a sip. "What brings you here, Maxie?"

She rolled her eyes. "Do I need to remind you? A certain game? The win you're celebrating?"

"Am I celebrating?" he asked her, as if his memory had just been wiped.

"Haha!" she said, giving him a look but still smiling. "I get it, okay. You don't think I'm capable of being nice to you! But you're wrong."

"Am I…" he said out loud, wondering the possibilities that were still in store for the evening.

"That's right!" she said. _Kill him with kindness_. "A toast," she offered, holding up her glass.

Alec gave her a curious look but waited to see what she would say next.

"To Alec," she said, causing him to snort out of amusement. "For being…so amazing." She held her glass against his and he returned the gesture.

"Wow, Maxie. 'Amazing'? This has got to be killing you."

_It's supposed to be killing _you! she thought. She was a bit annoyed but held a satisfied expression nonetheless. "On the contrary," she argued, "Being nice to you is a lot easier and more _natural_ than you seem to think!"

"Okay, Maxie, whatever you say," he told her with an amused smile as he took another sip of his drink. _Should I make this difficult on her?_ he considered.

He didn't get a chance to further consider that thought, though, as Max caught him completely off guard by doing something he'd never expected. She quickly removed the glass from his hand and began to move her hands underneath his shirt to slowly lift it over his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, wondering if he was dreaming all of this.

Max enjoyed seeing him so surprised. She leaned closer to whisper something to his ear. "Being nice. Isn't this what you wanted, Alec?"

He didn't answer, though, as he found himself speechless with the action of Max removing his shirt.

"There we go!" she said with a smile as she stared at his muscles.

"I don't know, Alec…" she said as she let her fingers glide across his naked abdomen. "Your muscles feel fine to me. Maybe I wasn't hard enough on you earlier today."

"Well!" she continued, lifting her hands off his chest. He found himself wanting to grab and pull her toward him again but he let her finish whatever it was that she was doing.

"I guess you don't need a massage after all!" she decided, feigning a look of disappointment. "Too bad, I was _really_ looking forward to it." Max grinned up at him. "Oh well! I guess I'll be letting you get your rest, then, Alec! See you tomorrow! Your great day will start when I make you breakfast!"

"But…" he finally returned as he found his voice again. "Wait, does that mean you're staying the night here?"

Max nodded. "Well, of course. How can I be _nice_ if I'm not even here? You go and get some rest, though. Don't mind me, I don't sleep. I'll just be anxiously waiting for you to wake up so I can show how much I appreciate you!"

"Maxie…" Alec said, giving her a quizzical look again. "Are you sure that you're fine?"

"Of course I am fine! I'm better than fine, Alec. Because I'm spending my night with you!" The words were meant to be fake and meaningless, but she couldn't deny the rush she felt as she realized she was going to be all alone with Alec for the next few hours.

"Well," Alec returned, "If that's how you feel… It would be really _nice_ of you to come lay with me until I fall asleep. I mean, since you're feeling so _nice_ and all." He tried not to smirk too much as he couldn't help taking advantage of the situation just a little. She might have thought she was fooling him, but the uncertainty was visible in her eyes. This was driving her crazy, and he loved it!

Max wanted to glare at him but instead only widened her smile. "That sounds…amazing!"

Alec laughed. "Now there's that word again. Anyway, don't worry. I don't snore or anything."

"I'm sure!" Max blurted. "I mean, of course not!" she tried to save herself.

Whether Alec noticed the slight slip or not, he didn't comment on it. It was true that he was tired, so he only withdrew to go to sleep.

He was surprised that Max actually followed him, but didn't say anything about it.

As his head rested upon his soft pillow, he couldn't believe the situation. He was falling asleep with Max laying next to him. And he wasn't going to get his ass beat for it the next day. He let a quiet yawn escape his lips before turning over to give Max a quick kiss on the cheek. "Night, Maxie!" he said and then swiftly shut off the light.

Max tensed as his soft lips touched her skin. She hadn't been expecting that. Or the pleasure that it gave her to feel his lips against her. And she couldn't yell at him, because she was too busy being _nice!_

Max frowned as his back turned, his scent surrounding her. Well, she was in in his bedroom after all. She had smelled it before, but it had never engulfed her like this, as she laid next to his sleeping form. The rugged scent of Alec had an appeal to it that she couldn't deny. Maybe this whole "being nice" thing was going to be more difficult than she thought...

* * *

a/n: thank ya all so much for the reviews! they really help motivate me to keep going with this! anyway, if you can't tell, I had to agree with everyone that it just didn't make sense to have Max win. I actually tried hashing out a scenario where she won, and it really wasn't feeling right, so this is what came out instead! I hope you enjoyed! let me know if you did! 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"So now I get to tell people we spent the night together," Alec greeted her with a mischievous grin as he walked sleepily into his kitchen. He didn't look quite awake yet. Max had to admit, his messy hair and loose fitting sweats, not to mention that damn chest of his, was a nice sight to start the day. The previous night had been fairly difficult to get through. Max found her temptations getting harder to betray as her desire increased with their proximity.

She had to literally get away from him to avoid doing something she'd regret. _And I would _definitely_ regret it!_ she told herself. Alec would never let her live it down if he caught her in a moment of weakness. Not to mention that normally she wasn't even into him. _It's just how close I have to be to him because of that stupid bet_, she told herself. It was only natural that when in the presence of someone so attractive for so long and with no one else to remind you of your real life, emotions could become extreme. _And in real life, Alec annoys the crap out of you!_ she reminded herself.

"Go ahead and milk this, Alec," Max responded with a rolling of her eyes. "Because a moment like this will _never_ happen again."

Alec gave her a cocky grin. "You mean where you play housewife?"

He was clearly referring to the ridiculous sight of Max standing over the stove with an egg cooking in one pan and a few pancakes in the other. She wasn't exactly the type to cook. Max recalled the one time she'd attempted cooking before and how it had been a near disaster. _But Alec doesn't need to know that!_ she told herself with a devilish grin as she anticipated his reaction to the breakfast she was cooking up for him.

Max resisted the urge to reach up and slap him for the comment. She knew that with this attitude, the next 3 days would be hell. She decided to suck it up and try and enjoy herself, even if it killed her.

"Now, Alec," she responded, much more chipper and in tune with how she'd been trying to act the night before. "I just wanted you to start off your morning with a great breakfast. That doesn't mean I'm going to go in there and make your bed."

"I think I'd prefer you _in_ it actually. Wearing something a little more like what you were at the bar last night." He again flashed a grin.

A part of Max agreed with his choice of activities as she scolded herself for getting so carried away. It wasn't like he was irresistible or anything. _Then what are you all worked up for?_

"Keep picturing that, Alec, because that's the closest you'll ever get."

The grin remained on Alec's face. _Oh, I _will_ keep picturing that,_ he thought to himself with a solid smile. Max was, as ever, in denial over her draw to him. Alec also felt vulnerable around her but he wasn't hiding that. He'd come to accept the reactions and thoughts that she brought out in him. But that didn't make it any less entertaining to watch Max try and fight their mutual attraction.

_Wonder why she is so quick to brush me off,_ he considered. Would it really be so bad for Max to admit that she wanted him?

Alec didn't bother wasting any more time in trying to figure out Max. He knew that would never result in any real answer. Instead, he was more than content to continue toying with her. And why the hell not make it difficult on the raven-haired beauty? It would only be more entertaining to see just how far she would go to keep playing this game that she didn't want him.

Alec came behind Max and reached his arms around her waist to place his own hand on top of hers as he guided hers.

Max felt herself tense at his sudden touch that sent a shiver through her. She couldn't help turning to stare him in the eyes, her own looking more vulnerable to his than she wanted to let on. Just what was he trying to do? His lips were so close, and since he still hadn't showered, his scent was again engulfing her as it had the night before as he slept beside her. Max swallowed, trying to shove her increasing desire down her throat along with her breath. She waited for him to say something or possibly make a move, unable to do anything else.

Alec grabbed Max's hand gently. "I like them once over easy," he told her as he guided her hand into flipping his egg.

Max couldn't help glaring at him as he moved his hand to turn off the burner.

"I didn't know I had one of those!" he said casually, referring to the pan, before moving away from the stove. He sat anxiously on a stool by the bar, clearly waiting to taste his breakfast.

Max could not believe his nerve. _You ass!_ she said in her mind, but not out loud. She was getting extremely frustrated already and the day had barely begun. He was going to pay when this was all over. A thought came over her, something she'd already tried. But he was better at it, apparently. Maybe it would work anyway. She needed _some_ satisfaction to get her through her day. _Two can play at his game..._

_----------------------------------------------**Sugary Sweet Christmas-induced ending below**-------------------------------------------------_

"Alec," she purred as she handed him his plate. "I made this especially for you. Sorry that I didn't know your taste. Hopefully, you'll still leave satisfied."

"Doesn't every man leave satisfied after a night with you, Max?" he asked her as he accepted his plate with a grin. _I know that I would be,_ he added in his mind. He considered cutting Max a break as he noted her lack of an emotional outburst. He knew it must really be pissing her off. Which on one hand provided very good entertainment. But on the other, he had to admit, he didn't just want Max physically, although at the moment, she was making it difficult to think otherwise. Their close proximity was certainly adding to the reasons he had for smiling so much. The moment he shared with Max seemingly to just flip his egg allowed him to inhale the intoxicating scent that was uniquely Max's. He wanted that scent to surround him all night long and every night after...

"You tell me," she replied, waiting for him to taste his breakfast.

"I'll have to get back to you on that," he answered. "But maybe my satisfaction will start with these eggs and pancakes."

Max didn't appreciate Alec's flirtatious nature leaving her hanging. The least he could do while he tried to mess with her head was keep it complimentary. Max was sick of him having the upper hand. She hoped that as soon as he tasted his breakfast that things would start to work in her favor.

Max only smiled with pure delight as she watched Alec cut up his pancakes to take a bite. "Syrup?" she asked him as she opened the bottle before he responded.

"Oh, yea," he commented, setting down his fork as he waited for the extra flavor to come.

"Here you go!" she said in a sugary sweet voice as she poured some on. "Oops!" she stated as a bit ended up on her hand. She licked it right off, leaving him only to stare at the seductive action, his lips parted. "Well," she said to him anxiously. "How does it taste?"

Alec took a moment to regain his composure before tasting his breakfast. _Damn. Is she doing that on purpose?_ He shook away his thoughts. Like he'd reasoned before, there was no point in trying to figure her out. But one thing he didn't need any help figuring out was that there was no way anyone on this earth could screw up a pancake. He stared at Max as he lifted the fork to his mouth. _I can get double pleasure, _he decided as he really took in the sight of her. _What a great way to start the day, _he realized as he enjoyed the beauty before him. She was staring at him as seductively as she possibly could, apart from her dark eyes which had a hint of vulnerability shining through. Taking in Max which was almost too much in spite of the fact that she was wearing nothing to add to her effect. It was all Max that was successfully turning him on. _Calm down, boy!_ he told himself even though he continued to appreciate the sight of Max. The last thing he needed was to let his enjoyment take over him.

Once Alec felt settled enough to really enjoy all of his senses, he took the bite. Now his eyes were pleased with the sight of Max. His hearing was satisfied by the usual sounds of the morning, birds chirping and cheesy whatnot like a storybook wakeup. The scent of Max combined with a delicious-smelling meal before him was enough to satisfy that scent. And now it was time for taste.

Alec swallowed the food a little more quickly than he wanted to initially. He immediately added more syrup as soon as he'd tasted his first bite.

He looked up to see Max's anxious eyes staring down at him. "Uh, this is great, Max!" he said with a forced smile. _Damn. How do you screw up a _pancake_?! Did she do that on purpose?_

"Really? That is just wonderful, Alec!" she said as she leaned toward him offering a quick kiss on his cheek.

The feel of Max's lips brushing against his skin, even if so quick, was a moment he instinctively turned toward. When she pulled away, she remained staring face to face with him, as if studying him.

_Does she want me to make a move?_ he wondered, finding the desire to do just that increasing with every millisecond that passed as her lips remained so close to his own.

"Max," he said in a deeper and more serious voice as he parted his lips ever so slightly in preparation for his next move.

"You're lying," she decided. She backed away from him, leaving him only to let out his anxiety and desire in a sigh. He quickly tried to stiffen it with another bite, even though the first one had successfully chased away any bit of hunger that usually came with the morning.

_So that's why she was studying me, _he realized. Once again he was reminded that he couldn't read Max at all.

"You don't like them, do you..." she trailed off and hid her face. _In shame?_ The last thing Alec wanted to do was upset Max. He was completely shocked at her reaction, though. He didn't have a clue what to do. Max blubbering over her lacking skills at cooking was not something Alec could ever picture coming from her.

"Max!" he said, moving from the plate to comfort her. He put his arm around her and tried to calm her down. "That is not true."

"Yes it is!" she whined before starting to slowly shake with sobs. "I'm just trying to be nice! Why can't I be nice?" Her own frustration over their cat and mouse game allowed her to be very convincing in her performance.

Alec continued to try and ease some of her guilt. He felt like a complete jackass for making her feel so bad just over a not-so-delicious meal. "Maxie... come on! We all know that you're skilled in many areas, and well, cooking just isn't one of them! How about _I_ make _you_ some breakfast and you can start being nice to me at work?"

Max only increased her sobbing.

"Max!"

"I just..." She trailed off as she lost the ability to keep it up anymore. She turned to face him with eyes that clearly held no tears. "Haha!" she said as she laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, Alec! Did you _really_ think I would cry over something that pointless?"

Alec held his mouth open in shock as he processed what had just taken place. "Wait, you were faking all of that? Did you purposely screw up those pancakes?" he asked her accusingly.

"You see, Alec, I really want to be nice to you. I do," she told him. "I started out actually trying to be nice to you. But you see, I just can't do it! Everytime I try, something gets in the way."

"And what's that?" he asked her.

"You do this whole thing where you try to get me all worked up," she accused him.

"And?"

"And...it works...maybe," she admitted.

Alec was finally grinning again. "Okay, so you're saying...you don't mind that my arm is around you right now."

Max tried not to blush to ruin the moment. "I'm saying..." she trailed. _Oh my God! What _am _I saying? _she asked herself.

"And so then, you won't mind...this..." he continued. He proceeded to finally do the one thing that he'd been wanting to do with increasing desire since he'd first seen her the night before. Alec took the moment of her own uncertainty and silence to capture her true feelings in a wordless action.

His lips moved against hers as the tension that had been building between them was unleased in a kiss. Neither was able to deny their passion for the other as they stopped fighting everything and let their actions speak for themselves.

Max found her hand stroking the muscles that had been calling for her touch and stuck in her mind for too long to be denied any longer. As her tongue felt his own slipping under it, she enjoyed his scent entangling her own.

Alec increased her pleasure with a quick line of gentle kisses from her jawline to her neck before heightening it as he sucked at her neck.

Max moaned with pleasure as she found herself grinning more than she had in quite some time.

Alec interrupted the moment by hoisting Max up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he lifted her, clearly to lead her somewhere.

"Where are we going?" she asked with a knowing smile as she nipped at his shoulder.

"To where we slept last night," he answered as he couldn't help grinning and continued to carry her toward his bedroom.

"But, Alec," she protested in words only as she continued to place light kisses on his chin. "Then I'll be making you late for work. That's not very nice, is it?" she taunted him.

Alec answered her by gently laying her atop his unmade bed. "I think I'll be able to find it in my heart to let that one slide," he replied as he crawled over her.

"What about this whole bet thing?" she asked him with increasing gasps. She was feeling especially satisfied as his head snuck underneath her shirt to place kisses on her abdomen.

"What about it?" he asked as his hands gently lifted her top over her head.

"Well," she continued, while giving him a real massage. "You made it seem like I wanted to lose. I just want us to be clear that I'm the winner here."

"Max!" Alec replied with a light laugh mixed with a low moan of pleasure that only her touch could elicit. Only she would be so determined to come out the winner even still at this point.

"Well?" she asked him before giving him a moment to think before speaking as she covered his mouth with her own.

"It was a tie almost to the very end," Alec offered in between his own foreplay.

"And...?" Max pressed him as she pulled him closer toward herself to close the space between them.

"And I won, hence my breakfast," he finally answered.

Her reply was a hard bite on his shoulder.

"Ow!" he complained with a laugh. "You know, that's not very nice, Max," he teased her as he gave her a nibbling of his own. His, however, was more gentle and aimed at her ears.

"I'm the winner here, Alec," she said, determined. "Say it!" She proceeded to encourage him as she interrupted her massage to untie the string holding his sweats up.

"You know, those pancakes were awful," he admitted. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"Alec!" she replied angrily as she forcibly ripped his pants off.

"Okay! I'm sorry. They weren't the worst thing I've been subjected to tasting ever," he offered. "But they came close."

"Alec!" she repeated. He felt her tense even underneath the touch of his lips. He'd really hit a nerve this time.

"Who won?" she asked him again with a whisper in his ear before again sucking at his tongue with her own.

He felt his pleasure increase with the feel of her breath against his skin followed by her taste.

Alec had always wondered whether he enjoyed toying with Max more than winning. He was very competetive and losing was not something he could take easily. She was completely taking advantage of the situation in asking him to surrender to her like this, with her waiting underneath him to give him his heart's desire.

And yet, he enjoyed the moment all the more with her typical feisty inability to accept defeat. "You won, Max," he finally gave in as he found himself too ready to put it off any further.

It was true. He enjoyed Max more than winning.

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**a/n: **So if you noticed the part in the middle where I said **sugary sweet Christmas-induced ending**... allow me to explain! I thought of a cute ending for this fic, so this chapter is an alternate sweet ending, so to speak. Buuuuuut

its not over. :D hehehee.. I can do that bc it is my fic! soooo next chapter will begin exactly where the break was in this one! Confused much? I hope not, if yes, let me know, even pm me if you want, & I'll try to explain it better. Basically I just wanted to make it all cute and "awwww" since that is the mood Christmastime puts me in! So I've subjected you all to that! hahaaa.

But like I said, it will continue next ch with more competition, cuz baby, this game ain't over yet!

-Doos


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n**: I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! Thanks to **lakergirl08**, **DiamondPrincess**, and **SJPearce** for your kind reviews from the last chap! Sorry it's been a while. I was working on some MA videos, and that whole holiday thing!

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**Chapter 5**

"I didn't know I had one of those!" Alec commented casually, referring to the pan, before moving away from the stove. He sat anxiously on a stool by the bar, clearly waiting to taste his breakfast.

Max could not believe his nerve. _You ass!_ she said in her mind, but not out loud. She was getting extremely frustrated already and the day had barely begun. He was going to pay when this was all over. A thought came over her, something she'd already tried. But he was better at it, apparently. Maybe it would work anyway. She needed _some_ satisfaction to get her through her day. And nothing brought more satisfaction than watching Alec squirm at his own game. A solid smile formed on her face as her lips curled upward in her game face. Her eyes narrowed upon him, the prey of her attack. _That's right, Pretty Boy! Two can play at this game…_

She plated his meal with a sugary sweet smile as she presented it before him. "Now, Alec," she told him, eyes focused entirely on him as she gave him an anxious stare of her own. "Don't be shy! Tell me what you think!"

Alec noted how determined she was for him to enjoy the meal. _Was this really difficult for her?_ he wondered, trying to consider what exactly about making a pancake would prove a challenge. Of course, Max didn't exactly cook all the time.

As the hard nibble attacked his taste buds, he found himself trying to ignore the urge to choke on the foul piece that hardly tasted edible. Alec found real difficulty in swallowing it down and found himself questioning again whether or not it was truly edible.

He looked up into Max's large, anxious eyes and knew he had to say…_something!_ "Wow, Max! This really tastes fantastic!" he praised as he finally managed to get the bite down in one large, forced gulp.

"Really?!" she replied, her face absolutely beaming. Alec wanted to put a smile on her face, but at what costs? He was fairly certain that his stomach would pay him back later for subjecting it to whatever it was that he was eating.

Max grinned at his predictable reaction. _There is no way in hell that he actually enjoys those!_ she knew, which only made it more amusing to watch him pretend like it was the best thing he'd ever tasted. _You are _not _a good faker, Alec!,_ she noted. "In that case…," she said, placing a 2nd pancake on his plate. She had to fight the urge to laugh out loud so she wouldn't ruin her cover. _Yep, _she thought again with a satisfied grin. There was really no pleasure quite like the joy brought with watching Alec be the one to squirm.

"Well!" she continued. "As soon as you're done with that, I'll clean everything up. Isn't that nice of me?" She grinned, knowing that in spite of the horrible tastes she was subjecting him to, he would have no choice but to again compliment her.

Alec eyed Max with apprehension. Was her plan possibly to torture him into forfeiting his win? But as Alec took another stare and took in the glorious sight of Max cooking him breakfast, he found the strength within him to keep up the charade. _Yep, _he confirmed, _if this is the worst she can do, sign me up!_

Even the choking that he had to stifle to keep his cover in front of her didn't take away from his amusement and delight in this moment as his own mischievous green eyes held her own brown anxious ones for a moment.

"Yes!" he agreed just as she'd predicted. "It really is so…. _nice _of you, Max." He sent her a knowing stare but didn't have to force the cocky grin that naturally followed the image of Max in front of him.

Max gave him an appreciative glance before turning away from his view with a hidden devilish grin at what she considered was the perfect start to a promising day. Despite the fact that she was currently the 'loser', seeing Alec try and stomach his meal didn't make her feel so defeated anymore.

-----------------------

Alec found the strength within him to finish her meal, offering a final forced "Yummy" before handing her the plate. He let himself enjoy an unnerving stare at her while he placed the dish in her hands.

"So why don't you go clean yourself up while I take care of this mess," Max offered innocently as she rinsed off his dirty dish.

"Great!" he said with a forced grin. Although he was still feeling confident about the situation, he had to wonder what she had in store for him next. He wondered if when he came out of the shower, he'd return to find she'd 'accidentally' broken his dishes by trying too hard.

He walked off toward his bedroom while scratching the back of his head. After the way he'd fallen asleep, with Max next to him, he really hadn't pictured this type of a morning. She had to be playing some kind of new angle. He tried not to focus on how the morning had been less than amazing, especially compared to the night preceding it, but he just couldn't shake it. Whatever game Max was playing, she definitely had the upper hand for the moment. But he was determined to enjoy the rest of the day. No, he wouldn't let her get away with these stunts much longer. She'd caught him by surprise, that was all. Well…and the fact that it was pancakes. _I mean, who screws up _pancakes, he asked in his mind. She _had _to be purposely trying to give him hell in spite of the fact that the next 3 days ought to be his most enjoyable ever. _Just wait, Max_, he thought to himself, his cocky grin back in place, _that massage is going to come later, and there's nothing you can do to escape it!_

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Once Max heard the water running in his shower, she allowed herself to let out the laugh that had been building all morning. _That was absolutely hilarious!,_ she thought to herself, satisfied with where things stood right now.

She had to admit, after the night she'd had, she wasn't so sure if she could pull off getting the upper hand. But once the initial shock of being so attracted to Alec had worn off, she found herself far more in control of her own actions. _Or maybe it's because I've finally accepted it…_ she wondered. _Oh, forget it!_ she fought with herself. _Now I'm sounding like Cindy!_ Max loved her best friend to death, but the girl was always trying to hook Max up. _Not everything in life is about gettin' ya monkey on!_ Max concluded.

Although she could definitely picture herself doing just that with Alec. _Ugh, get a grip!_ she told herself. Sure, Alec was attractive. That move he'd made earlier with the egg had nearly caused her to lose her cool. She swallowed the truth of the moment. She'd actually wanted him to kiss her then. Well, how could anyone resist, really, with his scent surrounding her and being so close… _Please, Max! Get a grip!_, she told herself again. It was just that with the whole virus bitch, it had… been a while. _Who cares if Alec is somewhat easy on the eyes, _she told herself, knowing full well how much she sounded like a typical, superficial guy using that phrase.

Regardless of how attractive Alec was with his ripped abs and his cute face and his confident attitude…_Max!_

Max scrubbed the dish a bit harder to shake her wandering thoughts that were getting out of hand. A confident grin again returned to her face. Like she'd said earlier, he wasn't irresistible. And he wasn't invincible, either. By the end of the day, he'd be wishing she had won their air-hockey game!

--------------------------------------

Alec came out of the shower with a visual effect just as intense as he had the night before, steam surrounding him, his scent pouring out, his naked muscles wet and gleaming. But this time, it wasn't such a shock for Max, and she didn't gape at him like a lusty cheerleader. She'd given herself a pep talk while he was in the shower, and she felt she had just enough confidence right then to ignore how he made her temperature rise and to remain holding the upper hand.

"My turn," she told him as she handed him the keys to her Ninja and flashed him a genuine, confident grin.

Alec looked at her like she'd lost her mind. Her Ninja was like her baby. Was she trying to make up for almost killing him earlier with her cooking? "Wait…why are you giving me your keys?"

"My bike is way better than yours, we both know that. So, I'll let you arrive to work in style for once!" She loved that she could insult him and his possessions while still putting up the front of being nice. "We'll trade, get it? Unless of course, you don't want me riding your junker." She again grinned at him, knowing that insulting him really shouldn't be as gratifying as it was, but enjoying herself nonetheless.

Alec truly didn't know what to say to her. _Junker?_ He considered arguing the quality of his bike, a true legend compared to hers, but looking at how happy she was in front of him made him think otherwise.

Max only continued to stare at him, reveling in his delayed response. Or was there going to be one at all?

Alec was staring at her with his mouth open, visibly unsure of what to say. _Victory!_ Max couldn't help thinking as she found that she'd caught him speechless without shoving any ill-tasting food in his mouth. She broke the silence by continuing. "I promise I'll take a quick shower. You didn't use all the hot water did you? You don't mind, right?"

Alec shook his head. "No, no. I mean, go right ahead. I'll just…get dressed."

-------------------------------------------

Max exited the shower and gave him some of his own medicine as she walked out wearing only his blue towel.

Alec tried not to stare at her even though the sight was quite taking, with the steam coming out behind a wet, barely clothed Max. The scent that he'd reveled in falling asleep to the night before was now wafting all around his bathroom, and he found his thoughts wandering as he couldn't help picturing Max, completely naked in his shower, using his soap, wearing his towel…which coincidentally, he decided he preferred seeing _her _wearing his towel as opposed to himself. Alec eyeballed her up and down while trying not to be obvious. _Yep, _he decided, _she definitely looks better in that towel._

"I forgot my clothes!" she told him, interrupting his thoughts while feigning a look of embarrassment. Inside, she truly appreciated the effect that she was clearly having on him, with his wandering eyes. Max grinned as she realized that the cheap shot was working to its full effect. Especially as his next statement again showed just how speechless she could make him.

"You…" Alec trailed as whatever he was going to say became garbled in his throat as an image of Max going about her day with no clothes filled his mind. He felt his temperature increasing even more and was silenced with his own pleasure and embarrassment at his thoughts.

"Here they are!" Max said cheerily as she picked up a pile she'd left on his living room floor.

She approached the door of the bathroom holding them in her hands. A lacy, black bra was on the top, part of it dangling. "Oops!" she said as it intentionally fell to the floor. She bent over to pick it up.

Alec looked away and cleared his throat, trying to be a gentleman as he knew that there was an 85 percent chance that Max's naked ass was right in front of him. Which of course, only served to cause an image of Max's ass to fill his mind.

He was relieved to hear the sound of the door shutting as he realized that his hormones could enjoy a break from going crazy. A grin settled firmly across his face in spite of how rattled he was feeling. If Max went about the entire day like this, taunting him right and left, it would at least provide for a good view.

------------------------------------------------

"Ready to go?" Max asked him as she held onto his keys. She clearly was, with her leather jacket and shades on.

"Yeah!" he answered, fully aware that this was quite possibly the least he'd spoken around another person probably ever. _This speechless shit is gonna stop when we get to work!_ he decided, determined not to let Max get away with winning their unspoken competition.

As he sat on Max's Ninja, he had to admit that it really was a much nicer bike than his own. He'd ridden backside before, but being right up front had a true appeal to it. He felt a slight rush as he revved it to start with a grin. It really was nice of Max to let him ride it, even if in the offer she'd insulted his own bike.

He stiffened the urge to squeal "Woo-Hoo!" like a true spoiled hog and kept his happiness down to a short "Yeah!" as they sped off to get to work.

Alec loved the feel of the wind and the way he felt like he owned the road as he made his way to work, weaving expertly around the traffic with the superior maneuvering the incredible bike offered him.

But he found the grin on his face quickly fading as he took in the sight in front of him.

Max was swerving all over the road ahead. With every side motion that she made, he felt a piece of his own heart leap as he pictured his bike being smashed to smithereens. The way she was driving, he couldn't see it making the trip all in one piece.

"Max!" he called ahead as he noticed yet another jerk of hers. Had she never ridden anything so rough before? Sure, his ride wasn't nearly as smooth as her higher quality bike, but it wasn't like she was riding something ancient.

She must not have heard his shout since she only continued to speed up. Alec definitely enjoyed his share of reckless riding, but the way she was going, he decided that he'd rather she'd just ridden her own bike to work.

Alec found himself making sudden breaks more frequently than was safe with all of her abrupt stops. "Max!" he again called as she almost made him slam her own bike into his.

---------------------------

"That was the longest ride of my life!" Alec mumbled as he removed his helmet.

"What's that?" Max asked him with a grin. "So, how'd you enjoy the ride? My baby's amazing, isn't she?"

"She sure is!" Alec agreed with a cheesy smile. _Hold that grin, Maxie!_ he thought to himself. _Cuz it's gonna be _wiped _right off that gorgeous face of yours once you really start to fulfill my definition of _'nice'.

"So!" he said anxiously to her.

"What?" she asked.

"Keys?" he reminded her with an almost desperate look in his eyes.

"Oh!" she realized. "Here you go," she told him as she tossed them at him.

"_Thanks!_" Alec said with real emphasis. "That was just so _nice_ of you, Maxie! Ready to keep it up?"

Max tried not to groan as she tried to think of a way to somehow make the next task of the day work in her favor. "You don't need to _remind_ me," she told him with forced calmness and fake pleasure. "I'm gonna deliver all your packages."

Alec grinned. Finally something she couldn't work to her advantage. "Sweet!" he replied. "Better get started, babe!" he said with a smack on her ass as they entered the building.

Max felt a burning come over her cheeks as she fought the urge to punch him. Only today would Alec get away with that type of behavior. _But damnit, _she whined in her head, _he _is_ getting away with it!_

"All right, Max, 2nd and Pierce. Alec, 4th and Lorrel," Normal said, tossing one at both of them.

Alec flashed Max a smile. "Ready to go?"

"You bet!" she said through gritted teeth as she practically ripped the package right out of his hands.

His green eyes narrowed into hers with golden glints of mischief as he moved his head right next to hers to whisper. "Oh, we both know that I _would_," he told her in a low voice.

Max felt a fury come over her as she heard the statement. She scolded herself for setting up the comment referring to the whole reason her enjoyment for the next 3 days was signed away- a stupid bet. Not to mention, the feel of Alec's hot breath against her ear as he whispered to her perked her senses in more than just hearing.

Max stared into his challenging eyes with determined ones of her own. She gave him a slightly seductive and ever confident grin before copying his move and whispering into his ear. "You're goin' down, Pretty Boy!" She pulled away and gave him an innocent look before getting on her bicycle.

"You really need to work on that whole being nice thing, Max," he told her with a cocky, amused grin as he mounted his own bicycle. "But I'm such a _nice _guy myself, that I'll let that one slide." He finished with a light punch on her shoulder, since he couldn't make a move at her butt again, as it was planted on the seat.

Max grinned back at him with genuine amusement in spite of her competitive spirit. As pissed off as he tended to make her, she was really starting to notice how appealing he could be sometimes.

With her competitive spirit back in full force, she sped out of Jam Pony to deliver his first package, with Alec following directly behind.

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**a/n**: feel free to drop a review and let me know what you think! See you next ch! 


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n**: -phew- finally, an update! I am sorry that this took me a month to get around to updating. That really isn't my style, I hate making people wait that long. It took me some time to figure out where I was going with this fic! I originally wrote it as a rather pointless one-shot, so I have been hashing out how I'm going to end this now that it clearly is no longer a one-shot! Now that I know for sure where I'm going with this, the next update should come sooner! (I'm crossing my fingers) And just so everyone knows, I am seeing either one or two more chapters total until this story is complete.

This one is longer than the rest. Hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter 6**

Max was feeling increasingly irritated as the number of cheesy smiles she was having to give seemed to grow exponentially. Working up the will-power to be perky and hold a huge grin for Alec as a way of being 'nice' was one thing. Having to deliver a multitude of packages while keeping up the 'Jam Pony spirit' was something entirely different altogether! Max hadn't worked so hard for the j-o-b in all her life.

And the worst part was that she wasn't getting any of the tips.

Max grudgingly shoved a quarter in Alec's eager hand before dramatically plopping back on her bike like a sick puppy. Her face, however, still looked determined, and after her slight show of annoyance, she held a soldier's stance. _Yep, this is a battle. _And Pretty Boy Alec was the enemy.

Max never thought that a simple game at Crash would be what ultimately led her back to her roots. Manipulating was something Max had been designed for but she had never succumbed to it. At least not for some time now. But without any other strategy, Max felt like she had no other choice. She had to start from scratch.

Which began with one thing. _Know your enemy_. Max found renewed confidence as she considered what she knew about Alec. Definitely more than he knew about her. He was a cocky smart-ass. As long as she continued to feed his ego, she would have the tactical advantage of surprise. If she was more than 'nice' to him, he'd never expect his own defeat.

She beamed at him with newfound pleasure and shrugged in apology. "I just don't get it! No one wants to leave a good tip today!" Inside, she was holding back laughter for screwing up his cash flow for the day. Not that a transgenic relied on tips from Jam Pony to fill their piggybank, but it was still fun to watch Alec go practically empty-handed. As long as Max wasn't getting any tips, she was determined to minimize his as well.

"I really wish I was getting bigger tips for you," Max commented, looking and sounding as innocent as she possibly could.

Alec pocketed the coin with his token cocky grin, before gripping onto her shoulder encouragingly. "Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Max. You just need to go about this from a different angle."

Max's eyes rolled over the spot where he was touching her. She was wearing a zip-up hoodie that was loose and slipping off her shoulders, leaving her skin completely exposed to fully feel the warmth that his hand was eliciting.

As his warm hand collided with her naked skin, Max felt a surge of desire go through her. Her body appreciated contact with Alec, betraying her determination to win. She turned toward his touch for a brief moment before meeting his stare. "And what angle is that, Alec?" she asked him.

As soon as the question escaped her lips, she regretted it. Before he even answered, she sensed that she was leaving herself open for an even worse day than she was already having.

"Well…" Alec began, "I suggest something similar to your strategy last night."

Max couldn't help parting her lips in surprise. Just what did he want her to do? She again replayed in her mind their competition the night before, trying to figure out what she had just involuntarily offered to do. Unfortunately for Max, however, all she could picture in her mind were flashing images of Alec's gleaming muscles, followed by the pleasant visual of him exiting his shower that morning. The pictures ended with the sound of Alec's deep, sexy voice, 'My eyes are only on you'.

"Max, don't you remember? You had the whole bar cheering for you," Alec tried to remind her.

Max brought her attention again to the present and couldn't help laughing at his suggestion as she realized what he meant. "Wait. You want me to take off my hoodie?" She folded her arms in defiance but still had an open look on her face. "Okay, Pretty Boy. Explain to me how that's keeping up the Jam Pony spirit."

Alec's cocky grin was firmly in place, but he spoke nonchalantly as he continued. "Well, it worked at the bar. I can't figure why, but the less clothes you wear, the more appealing you are."

Max wanted to slap him for that comment. "You're such a pig!" she couldn't help replying.

"Now, Max," Alec said, followed by a 'tsk tsk'. "That's not very nice of you to say." He held his hand to his heart in mock concern. "After that comment from earlier, you're starting to hurt my feelings."

Max snorted but then managed to hold a concerned look of her own. She reached out to stroke Alec's arm as she apologized. "Oh, Alec. I am so sorry. I didn't realize you were so sensitive. I would be more than happy to strip down to my undies just so you can get a $1 tip instead of a quarter!" She finished with a frown as her stare challenged him to ask her again.

Alec tried to shake the pleasure that her statement gave him, as well as the image of Max traipsing around in her underwear, that he'd gotten the pleasure of seeing for himself earlier that morning. Max. Black bra…

Alec swallowed the image away and spoke immediately so as not to let it go on. "No, Max. That's not how it is." He shook his head for effect as well as to literally shake away his thoughts before continuing, his confidence again in place. "Besides. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I'd give you more than a $1." He again flashed his cocky smile.

Max laughed again, remembering his loss for words earlier when she left his bathroom. "I bet you would," she commented.

"Yes, I-"

"Ah!" Max interrupted him. "No need to repeat yourself, Alec!" She made a mental note to quit using that phrase. 'Bet' now had an entirely different meaning to her than it once did.

Max shrugged as she took off her hoodie all the way. She was going to remove it anyway since she was getting warm, but the fact that Alec suggested it pissed her off. She tried not to look tense and instead held a face that showed she couldn't care less. "Whatever," she commented as she handed it to Alec roughly, who couldn't help grinning. "I was getting hot anyway."

Alec nodded as he appreciated the more curve-complimentary top Max was now showing. "Only two more stops!" he told her encouragingly. He wanted to rub it in her face that she'd lost, especially after the stunts she had pulled earlier. But he didn't want to piss her off so badly that she'd quit the charade. Payback was beautiful, but only to a certain point. The goal was for Alec to be happy and have the best day of his life. If Max was truly upset with him, any more than usual at least, he wouldn't be able to find it in himself to be happy.

Alec wondered when it had first come to be this way. Certainly, when he'd first met Max, his own happiness was his only concern. But he had to admit, somewhere along the way, her own started to mean more. And now, he found that he couldn't even enjoy his win fully if she wasn't happy.

Max grinned at him. "Great! I can't wait to buy you dinner!" Her smile looked fake, but the emotion staring at him from her eyes wasn't forced. He knew he had a unique effect on her.

As Max walked up to the next house, Alec was left to admire her form. The sight was almost breathtaking. Her tiny frame still managed to hold all the curves of a woman. Attraction was a given. But there was another feeling that Alec couldn't blame on his genes.

He tried to stay away from deeper thoughts, which wasn't difficult, given the image in front of his eyes. He couldn't help grinning as he appreciated not only the view, but also how wonderfully his plan was going. _That's right, Max, _he thought to himself, _go ahead and think I really care about bigger tips!_ The truth was, Alec just wanted a better view as she walked up to the doors. Messing with Max was fun, but he was glad there was only one stop left. He hadn't won the bet just to watch her deliver packages.

"So, about dinner," he began once she returned. He kept going, without interrupting to comment on her much larger tip this time. "You've slipped up a few times here. I think you owe me one."

"What are you getting at?" Max asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"Just that we should go to a place where even you can't be in a bad mood."

Max couldn't help rolling her eyes. A thought came to her that she kept to herself. _So you're saying there's been a time where it was me and you and I _wasn't_ in a bad mood?_ Instead, she smiled up at him. "So, what did you have in mind?"

----------------------------------------

Max was relieved, yet also annoyed that she hadn't needed to convince him to come to Crash for dinner. She'd already invited Sketchy, Original Cindy, and the rest of the crew. But the fact that Alec came up with the place as well irked her. Again, she was having to act like she was grateful for his idea, when it really had been hers. Not to mention the irritation that came with the realization that he knew her better than she thought he did.

After her morning, she found herself actually feeling guilty about her plan for their evening. He'd graciously accepted her horrible breakfast and didn't even make any rude comments as she used his desire against him. And the way he took his keys, she knew that she had successfully freaked him out with her riding.

Her afternoon, however, had provided more than enough motivation for her to go through with her plan with confidence.

She grinned as she took in her surroundings. _This is where it began_, she thought, speaking as though it was truly a war. _And this is where it's gonna end!_

Max turned to smile at Alec. Her grin looked innocent, but her mischievous eyes gave away how she was truly feeling. "I've got the tab tonight!" she insisted to him.

Alec tried not to laugh in spite of how amused he was. He wondered how she'd try to make this situation fall into her advantage. "Well, when you put it that way!" he replied, commenting like he hadn't already known she was paying.

Max eyed Cindy come in as he finished. "Cindy!" she hollered to her friend. "What are you doin' here?"

Cindy laughed. "Suga, you act like I'm not chillin' here all the time. What I wanna know is what _you_ doin' here? Goin' fa round two?"

Alec laughed. "I'd still win," he insisted with a cocky grin.

Max returned his laugh. "We really don't know that, Alec," she commented in a light voice, though her eyes were staring daggers.

"What's up, my friends?" Sketchy asked as he wandered over. "So…" he winked at Max, "any chance you're gonna light up the air hockey table again tonight? I'll play you this time!"

O.C. snorted. "Boo, ain't nobody want to see _you_ without ya shirt."

Sketchy gave Cindy a short look. "Hey, the night is young. Let's save those comments for when I'm intoxicated beyond the point of responsiveness. Or at least understanding. Which will be in approximately 20 minutes, after I've consumed my share of our pitcher. Which reminds me... Bartender!" He turned again to the group. "First one's on-"

"Max!" Alec replied, nudging her.

Max gave him a pleading look not to, but he continued. "Come on, Max! You've got the tab, right?"

Max studied his face to see if he was serious. It unfortunately, also gave her a moment to again appreciate his attractive features. His hazel eyes held a twinkle that seemed only for her as they sparked with something Max didn't want to acknowledge. Her own mouth twitched into a smile as her eyes rolled over his soft lips that were curved upward in his signature smirk. As Max pulled her stare back into his eyes, she saw how determined they were. It only increased her frustration to notice that in some twisted way, she was attracted to a guy that at the same time had a way of annoying and upsetting her more than anyone else.

"You got a sugadaddy tonight, Boo?" Cindy asked Max.

Max grinned deeply at her friend as she stood up. "Girl, you know I don't need one of those!" She held out her half-gloved fist for Cindy to return the pound.

Max rested a hand on Sketchy's back. "No worries tonight, Sketch. Alec is right. I've got the tab."

"Hey, thanks, Max!" Sketchy commented, taking his seat again.

Max left the table still feeling confident that the night would turn out well, despite the fact that Alec was still running the show. Not that she didn't mind buying for her friends once in a while. It just would have been nice to come up with the idea on her own, instead of as some _suggestion_ of Alec's, which had come off more like an order. _And Alec should know better than anyone, I don't take commands from anyone_. _Not even my CO._

Max almost ran into someone's back before she finally took in just how crowded it was around the bar. She scanned the area and found her hopes fading again. _Why does it have to be so busy tonight? I don't feel like waiting in a line!_ Knowing there was nothing else she could do, Max slumped onto a stool. The grin that Alec had unknowingly placed on her face quickly changed into a tight frown as she found her patience wearing thin.

"Hey," someone said to her as they moved one seat closer.

Max eyed him and realized she hadn't the slightest clue who he was. She rolled her eyes. _Great, just what I need._ _Some drunk, lonely idiot_. Now she was really getting irritated.

"You look awfully familiar," he continued.

_Irritated? Make that pissed off!_ Max told herself. She turned to finally face him. "Well you don't," she returned before coldly turning away.

"I'm Sean. And you are?"

"Done talking to you. I'm here for a drink, not conversation." _As if I'd even get an intelligent conversation out of you_, she added in her head.

"I know your name," he said with a laugh. "But I gotta say, you looked a lot friendlier last night. Or was it the guy?"

Max turned to face him, her anger getting the better of her. She had to be nice to Alec, but not this guy. "What are you talking about?" she snapped at him. "Like I said, I've never seen you before."

"And like I said, you looked friendlier last night. Max, right? That's the name they were chanting. Man, I was wasted, but how could I forget a sight like that?"

Max was relieved that the bartender had finally come her way. "I need a pitcher," she told him. "Make that two," she continued, not wanting to have to come back.

"Hey, dude," Sean motioned to the bartender, "this is that girl from the other night, Max. She really brought the crowd."

Max finally lost her cool. She didn'tappreciate some weird guy being all up in her business. Max reached out a hand and gripped onto Sean's throat before lifting him off his seat. "I'm gonna bring somethin' else if you don't shut the hell up!"

He waved his arms in surrender and Max lowered him back to his stool and released her grip. "Thanks!" she mumbled to the bartender for the pitchers before giving Sean one last glare and heading back to her table.

She slammed the beer onto the table. "Here's your pitcher!" she snapped before aggressively taking her seat back.

"Max, what's wrong?" Sketchy asked. "A little hot in here, right? Maybe you should take your jacket off!" He finished with a wink, as if it was needed to get the point across.

"Maybe I should take your face off!" she returned before folding her arms. She suddenly was sick of the place, with everyone's annoying reminders of last night. Did they have nothing else to occupy their dormant little minds? "What do you want to eat?" she asked Alec, hoping to order it and get out of there as fast as possible.

"Max, I'm sorry!" Sketchy commented. "I was just joking around. Hey, if it bothers you, I won't bring up last night any more."

"That would be fabulous," she answered flatly without looking at him.

Alec cleared his throat before interrupting the awkward moment. "Well, I hope you don't mind if I bring it up!" he began. "I mean, at least until after I eat something."

Max rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just tell me what you want already."

"A sandwich, some fries, and a damn good massage, pretty please with cherries, or at least, a bet on top."

"Coming…" Max trailed as she reconsidered his sentence. "You wanna repeat that last part for me?"

"Top," he repeated.

"Before that."

"on?"

"Before that!"

"bet?"

"Alec!"

"Pretty please?"

"The part about a massage! I asked what food you wanted!"

"You asked what I wanted, Max. And given the audience we have, what with Sketchy here," he nudged him as he referred to him before continuing, "I gave you the PG version."

Max held out a wad of cash to her friend Cindy. "Will you get this poor, starving, underpaid Jam Pony worker a sandwich?" she asked her with sarcasm.

"Actually, the beer's just fine," Sketchy commented.

Max rolled her eyes. "I mean the annoying one."

Cindy looked between the two men. "Yep, still don't know which one we talkin' bout here."

Max moved her chair behind Alec's and grabbed onto his shoulders roughly. "_This_ one!" she said.

Cindy nodded. "You got it, suga! Be right back!" She grabbed Sketchy. "You better come with. These two got some U-S-T ta deal wit."

As Sketchy pondered what that meant, Cindy dragged him along until they disappeared into the line at the bar, leaving Max and Alec completely alone.

Alec let out a light laugh. "Thanks, Max. I have a name, you know."

"Yeah? Well so do I, and it isn't 'Alec's Bitch'. Take your shirt off."

"What?" As much as Alec wanted to enjoy whatever she meant by that, she didn't seem herself. He tried to brush it off. "Max, you know I'd be more than happy to do this later."

"Do I need to repeat myself, soldier? Or is it that you're incapable of undressing?"

Alec turned his head, which was a bit awkward, given that she was seated directly behind him. "You know that's not true." Far from it, in fact. Alec had been shirtless within the first 5 minutes of meeting Max. "What's going on, Max?"

_What's going on?_ She rolled her eyes as she considered his question. _What's going on…Gee, I'm pretty sure that we're in the middle of Crash. And excuse me for being a little irritated by some loner dweeb at the bar hitting on me while I'm already confused because in some sick way, your twisted come-ons actually make me smile and I can't tell if it's because I really like you or I'm just going insane! _

"Max?" he interrupted her silent thoughts.

"I'm giving you a massage so you'll shut up about it!" she told him. "I'm sick of you having it over my head, so let's just do it already!"

"But I'm not tense right now."

"Well, I can make you tense first, if you'd like!" she told him, the fury in her eyes showing just how serious she was.

"Max…" he said slowly, hoping to calm her down and bring her to her senses. Something was obviously upsetting her. Even though she'd been fairly pissed the entire day, he wasn't seeing this kind of anger until…

"Did something happen when you got the pitcher?" he asked her.

_Yeah, I had to front cash out of my pocket. _Max really didn't feel like discussing any of it, especially since he was part of the problem. Instead, she moved in front of him and sat on his lap to face him, straddling him in the action.

Alec immediately held onto her waist while his eyes traveled from her eyes to her lips as he noticed just how close they now were. They were just as full and soft as they'd always been, but in their proximity, they were calling to him now more than ever before to be tasted. He tried to gulp down his desires, but swallowing wouldn't shake her scent that was taunting him. He wondered what she was doing as he forced his stare back into her eyes that were scanning his entire body. "Max…?"

Max enjoyed being held by him more than she wanted to admit. As she felt his thumbs gently stroking her, she realized she needed to distract herself somehow. She reached to his forearm and squeezed it gently before looking into his eyes. Even with his clothes hiding them from her view, his muscles still called for her touch. She resisted giving him the satisfaction of knowing the effect that the feel of his skin had on her. She was careful to conceal the rush she'd felt shoot up her spine with the contact and instead allowed her lips to curl slightly upward in amusement.

Alec was glad to see a thin smile finally reappear on her face, although he wished she could smile while still touching him. The look she was giving told him she'd found whatever she was looking for.

"You're such a liar," she told him.

"What do you mean?" For a brief moment, he felt like someone working undercover who'd been made.

"You're tense, whether you want to admit it or not. But I'll play your little game." With that she leapt off him and held out a hand to pull him up. "Let's go outside, see if we can make you even more tense."

Alec looked back at the bar to see that their friends were still in line. He shrugged before following her. He thought her reactions were predictable, but here Max was, surprising him like he didn't even know her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"So…" she trailed before spreading her legs and planting her feet in a fighting stance. She lifted her arms and waited to make a move.

Alec looked at her as though she were crazy. "What are you doing?"

"You aren't tense enough," she said simply before tossing a hard hook toward his jaw line.

He barely dodged it in time and was about to ask her to cut it out when she sent another array of punches.

Alec continued to block her attacks, but he couldn't stop all the kicks that came next. She sent him a spiraling kick to his chest that he missed blocking entirely.

"Are you always this _nice_?" he asked her as he decided to put her on the defensive for a change.

"I'm so nice that I'm willing to punch you so you'll be tense enough to fully enjoy your massage," she told him in between blocks and a few more attacks of her own.

"Well you've done a hell of a job!" he replied as he successfully pinned her to the ground and entangled her legs.

Max struggled to get out of his grip. "I'm not finished yet!" she told him.

"Well I am!" he insisted, shoving her hard against the dirt to get the point across.

Max answered his move by head-butting him. He was stunned enough for her to break free. She quickly removed her jacket and tossed it to the side with a smile. "That ought to help me maneuver better now."

Alec prepared himself for another hit from her. "This is ridiculous, Max!"

Max eyed his shirt. It was getting wet from the workout. "Take it off, Alec," she told him.

"Right! So you can kick me while my vision's blocked, right?"

Max shrugged. "Guess that's a risk you're gonna have to take. But I'm not gonna stop fighting you until I can see that we're done."

"And when will that be?" he asked her.

"When your muscles need a break."

He gave her a cocky smirk. He couldn't believe he was doing this with her, but he couldn't resist. He pulled his shirt off in one swift motion, expecting a hit before his view came back. As his eyes again rested upon her again (a sight that he didn't want to stray from for another reason!), surprise came to his features. She hadn't taken the opportunity to get a clean hit at him. An amused smirk spread across his face as he prepared himself. "Don't worry, Max. I'm not tired yet." His eyes challenged her to try harder.

Max deepened her smile as she noticed him rising to the challenge. Not to mention, she couldn't help grinning as she finally saw his gleaming abs again. "Oh, you will be soon enough, Pretty Boy!" she told him with a grin.

Another line of hits were exchanged back and forth between the pair. This time, it ended when Alec shoved Max against the wall.

"Can't you beat me on your own, Alec?" she asked him in a taunting voice.

Their faces were close, and since he was blocking part of her lung with the hand pinning her against the wall, her breaths were deeper. He bit his lip to hold his position in spite of the advantage she had given the situation. She didn't realize how distracting she was, being this close to him.

"We're equals," he gave in. He was grateful to feel her body loosen under his arm at the comment. It seemed she was finally done fighting him.

He moved his arm from pinning her to helping himself stand as he held his balance against the wall, their faces still inches from each other.

Max eyed him with a new look in her eye. There was a hint of vulnerability looming in her large brown eyes as she stared into his.

He was now the one breathing heavily. He'd been holding in how tired he was from her attacks, but now that it was over, he didn't waste any more energy in hiding his exhaustion.

Even though she was now free to leave, without Alec pinning her against the wall, Max still couldn't find it in her to move away from him. She could only stare at him, so close to her, and study him once more.

She'd never paid so much attention to him before all of this, their game. Now that she was forced to see him- all of him- she was noticing the unique effect he had on her. _We're _not _equals!_ she protested in her mind. She couldn't accept it. It was his way of a truce, and she wasn't going to give in to him that easily.

But as she noticed how tired and worn he looked, she realized that she at least owed him a massage. She couldn't help smiling a bit, despite how confused she was. He looked kind of cute, all exhausted and anxious.

"Alec…" she said to him in a soft, tired voice as she reached out to touch him. Her hand traced the muscles on his chest that she'd effectively rendered tense.

She smiled and pulled him gently toward her to whisper into his ear. "I think you've earned that massage."

Alec tried not to grin too much as he allowed Max to guide him toward her. He had never seen this side of Max before, even though he was sure it was there.

He cocked his head to one side and made a half smirk as he answered her. "I'm all yours."

Max let out a light laugh. "Come on, turn around."

Alec turned around, even though he really didn't like having his back to Max. Especially a Max he couldn't predict. For a second, a horrible thought entered his mind, threatening to ruin the otherwise glorious moment. Alec recalled his morning when she'd purposely ruined his breakfast. Was she going to butcher this in some weird attempt to make him feel like the loser in spite of his win?

The betraying thoughts to the pleasure he was feeling in anticipation of having Max rub his tired muscles left abruptly with the touch of Max's fingers as they grazed the back of his neck. Soon the gentle stride held more strength as he felt Max's hands rub his shoulders in a slow and rhythmic motion.

Every thought left him then, and his head leaned forward luxuriously of its own volition to allow her better access. Her hands were small and soft, but strong and firm. With every touch of her hands, his whole body shivered in pleasure.

His original suspicions of her somehow using this moment as a trick quickly faded into almost blissful pleasure. No, if having Max to his back meant more of this, he definitely should turn around more often!

Max could feel Alec loosen up and become putty in her hands. It gave her an incredible thrill that she couldn't understand, having Alec be so completely _hers_ right then, knowing what her touch could do to him.

The feel of his muscles excited her and gave her a burning sensation on her palms. They moved rhythmically over his body, a masterpiece that was simultaneously soft and hard, covered with smooth skin that just begged her to touch it. Working the tension out of Alec's gleaming body somehow put an unidentified anxious tension into Max's own. The sensation raced from her hands to her heart, her temperature rising with every delicate stroke.

The rush that she'd felt earlier with the light grazing of his skin against hers was ignited to something much more powerful as she continued. She had never anticipated enjoying her 'punishment' for losing the bet just as much as he had.

Of course, she hadn't anticipated being serious in giving him a massage. But after being taunted with their sight for so long, she couldn't deny the urge to touch him any further.

* * *

**a/n**: Thanks everyone for reading this! I would love to hear your thoughts, definitely feel free to review this. They are why I made this longer in the first place.  
Oh, and I know, you are probably thinking I'm evil for ending it there! I don't want to give you false hope, so I will just tell you, the massage scene is _done_ at the end of this chapter. (Sorry! I think I got the point across, so that is as far as I'm going with that. I really think anything more is unnecessary) 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Alec was practically beaming as he re-entered Crash, shirt casually slung over his shoulder.

Max took her steps cautiously as she followed him. Even though the massage was meant to unhinge him, she felt it was her own emotions that were shaken by the sensual moment.

Her body was more than tense- it had been _in_tensified and almost ignited with…pleasure. Having Alec's magnificent body completely under her control gave Max a greater rush than she could have ever imagined.

Even though she was supposed to be the one in control during the intimate moment, being the one giving the massage, somehow it made her lose more of her cool. Now she wasn't entirely sure of anything. Part of her was asking what just happened, while the other told her to brush the moment off, that it was just a massage.

_Then why am I still hot from it?_ she asked herself. Her jacket was still outside, and even though Crash was more crowded than usual, she couldn't help but think that some of the flush lighting her face was from her own desire.

She wanted Alec.

The truth wouldn't be heard fully in her mind. Her heart was pounding while her head raced, trying to piece together some way that it couldn't be true, that the situation had just gotten the better of her, and it didn't mean what the creeping up her spine and the urging at the back of her mind had been telling her ever since last night when she'd first paid attention to all of the details of Alec.

Somewhere between the irritated slaps across his face and working together to help transgenics, she'd come to appreciate the smallest details to the man that he was. His flirtations that used to annoy her to no end had somehow come to make her heart feel lighter and bring a smile inching across her face. The sculpted body that had been practically thrown at her on their first meeting now held restraint and patience.

Alec wasn't stupid. As many times as she'd called him an idiot before, she knew just how perceptive he was. He had to know that all he needed was to slide his soft lips over hers and she'd be done fighting her heart's desires.

The fact that he'd only been taunting her throughout the day while still waiting for her to make the conscious choice served to scare her slightly. Not only because of just how strong her attraction was to Alec, but because he wasn't taking advantage of it.

_What is going on with me?_ she asked herself, trying to push away her mixed feelings to a forgotten corner of her mind. It was harder for her today than it usually was, shoving aside her emotions.

Feelings this strong couldn't just happen overnight. It was even more unsettling for her to know that her pull to Alec must have been going on for longer than she'd been willing to see.

_So I've wanted the cocky smart-ass since day one?_ she fought with herself.

Now that she played in her mind the glimpses of her first moments with Alec, she knew the truth. A part of her had wanted him even at their first meeting. But a Manticore cell wasn't exactly the best place to encourage romance. Not to mention something about the idea of forced 'breeding partners' tended to be a hell of a mood-killer.

_And there was Logan…_ she reminded herself.

_Was?_ Referring to the older man in the past tense automatically like that didn't hurt like it should have. Realizing that as much as she'd been fighting to hold onto their relationship, it just wasn't there, didn't fill her with emptiness like it should have.

'Cuz losing the 'love of your life' was supposed to suck. But as Max looked up to Alec, her hand in his as they walked back into Crash, she found that she didn't feel empty at all. They moved in what seemed like slow-motion as Max found her thoughts racing.

_I want Alec_, she said again in her mind.

But the realization only served to bring a certain discomfort over her. It was a heavy truth to swallow, and she wasn't so sure that she was ready. Just two days ago, _two days_ ago, she'd been content with life, even if it meant waiting for the cure to be with Logan.

And in only one day where she'd been stripped of her barriers of insults and slaps upside his head, she found herself actually desiring the guy that she'd come close to naming 'Dick'.

In her dazed confusion, she wandered to the table. Alec's motions paralleled hers as he approached the table in a daze himself, though his was more due to being in a surreal state of complete satisfaction.

Alec had known that he was going to enjoy a massage from Max, but he hadn't expected to all but melt underneath her touch. He wondered if she realized that as soon as her warm hands collided with his skin, she completely owned him.

_Don't kill the moment by thinking too much into it!_ he told himself, determined not to let anything ruin the pleasured state that he was now in. He played the highlights of the day in his mind, starting with Max's glorious exiting of his shower, wearing his blue towel, all the way through to the addicting feeling that her touch had given him. His heart was already hers, whether she knew it or not, but in that moment, his body was, too.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The pair sat down slowly in a drifting action, as though they were on a cloud, which was quite fitting, being that most people were in similar states, though theirs due to alcohol consumption. Given the hour, everyone had plenty of the altering substance in their system so that everyone seemed to be floating on a cloud.

Both settled down to Alec's now cold plate.

"Still hungry?" Cindy asked with a questioning stare.

The words seemed to pull Alec out of a beautiful dream. He took a minute to answer her, as though coming down from a dizzying height. "Right…" he mumbled, before coming fully to his senses. "My sandwich…"

O.C. eyed him with suspicion. Once his token smirk was back in place, she brushed off his weird behavior. But she wasn't going to bypass the fact that the pair had been missing for a good hour. She eyed Max with a knowing grin. _Did my boo finally give in?_ she wondered.

"So, Max," she began. "Original Cindy has been chillin' here alone with this foo (she motioned to Sketchy), which is all good. But a mystery has fallen over her that she ain't in the right mind ta be solvin', so do a girl a favor."

Max was grateful for any reason to quit thinking about how mixed up she was feeling with Alec's effect on her and quickly answered. "You got it!"

Cindy smiled. "I got a shirtless, dreamy-eyed Pretty Boy sittin here on one side. And a quiet, ahem, _comfortable_, homegirl on the other. Not to mention that hour of time that passed while you two was…well, I guess that's where Original Cindy needs some help fillin' in the blanks."

Max grinned almost nervously. Cindy had a way of knowing everything without Max even admitting to anything. "Interesting story…" Max trailed, wondering what her friend was getting at.

"Original Cindy has had a few in ya absence. So, that favor…"

"Yes…"

"Original Cindy needs a clue. Or better yet, why don't you just tell me everything, cuz I really don't think I can connect the dots right now."

Max laughed. "You act like it's a big secret. I mean, what do you think happened? The usual! I just kicked his ass around for a bit." She shrugged casually and took a sip of her now warm beer as she finished.

She was hoping her friend wouldn't push the question any further. Max was more than a little confused. The whole situation was quickly becoming too much for her to handle. It was difficult enough having her confusion thrust in her face within her own mind as she considered her day. But having it shoved at her by her friends, too, was something she wasn't ready for. She was finally accepting that she was attracted to Alec, but after that massage, it seemed even deeper than that. It was like he had some power over her body that she had no control over.

"Are you done yet?" Max almost snapped at him as she found herself feeling hot again. She suddenly wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

OC couldn't help snickering.

"What?" Max asked. Her eyes held a certain fear in them as she studied Cindy. _Does she know?_

The thought only made Max more concerned and confused. _Know what?_ she asked herself.

The answer was trapped in the back of her throat. She still couldn't say it out loud. _How you feel about Alec_, she answered herself in her mind. Her heart was racing and she again looked over to Alec's sandwich. _God, what is taking him so long?_ He didn't even seem to notice her irritation. Or anything for that matter. As Max searched his eyes, she realized he was lost in thought. _And must be a _damn _good one, too! _He looked like he was in heaven.

_Oh my God!_ Max felt her own face flush for a moment as she realized. _He must be thinking about the massage!_ Max scanned the exit, that suddenly looked miles away, with tons of people in the way. _I've got to get out of here!_

Cindy looked back and forth to both of them. "You two! You're hilarious, you know that, Boo!"

"What are you laughin' at?" Max asked her in between glances at the exit that seemed to be getting further away with every look.

"Girl, I been sittin' sidelines this whole dealio. Lemme run this. You two play some air hockey. High stakes. Golden Boy wins, so my girl has to be nice to him. And somehow that ends with you kickin' his ass? ….For an _hour_? And if that's true, you some kinda masochist?" She turned to Alec as she finished.

Alec swallowed his bite slowly as he contemplated the question. _Man, why'd she have to kill the mood?_ he thought. She'd distracted him from reliving Max's massage in his mind. And worse, her comment had somehow struck a sensitive spot in his pride. _A masochist? _It was a question he'd already asked himself before, the seriousness of it threatening to ruin his momentary bliss.

"No…" he trailed innocently, trying not to think of it too much. But if every time Max kicked his ass, it ended with her massaging him like that, he definitely wouldn't mind. _Does that make me a masochist?_ he thought with a sarcastic grin as he again recalled just how good it felt to have Max's soothing hands rubbing his tired muscles.

"Excuse me!" Max protested in her own defense. "I was just making sure he was more tense. You know, so he could better enjoy his massage." Her words had more aggression than they normally would, a sign of how worked up she was. She again made a desperate glance toward the door. _I really want to get out of here!_

Cindy opened her mouth wide in surprise but also approval. "So _that _is what was goin' down!" She took another drink of her beer while considering something before laughing. "Oh, come on now, Max! You tellin' a sista here that you put the smack-down on 'im only for Golden Boy's benefit?"

Max began to consider just how much 'benefit' she'd received in stroking Alec's magnificent body whose touch seemed to send shockwaves of pleasure coursing through her. As she contemplated it further, she found her thoughts interrupted by a familiar face headed her way. _Thank you! _she thought to herself in appreciation, grateful to have an excuse to quit thinking about Alec and the sorts of 'benefits' that he brought to her.

She was relieved momentarily, until her eyes rose to meet his drunken stare. _Ugh, Sketchy, you are such an idiot_, she couldn't help thinking as he stumbled toward her. She hoped he wouldn't bug her again about playing a stupid game of air hockey.

_This night was supposed to end up with me humiliating_ _Alec in front of all our friends_. _Wasn't that the plan? _But somehow it was turning out to be a cruel test of her patience, as she found herself feeling more irritation and discomfort as the night went on. _God, I really don't know how much more of this place I can take_, she thought to herself in defeat.

_Why'd we have to pick Crash?_ _I should have known this place would be ridiculous tonight! _The night before, she'd assumed that her match with Alec would be old news. _Guess I was wrong! These idiots have nothing better to do than talk about a game they had _nothing _to do with!_

"Max!" Sketchy said, interrupting her discomforting thoughts as he made his way through the crowd to their table. "I drank most of those pitchers, unfortunately."

Max waved her hand in front of her face dramatically. "And then some! Sketchy, you reek," she told him.

"Normal's here!" he replied randomly.

Max swallowed to try and prepare herself for the annoyance that always came with Normal. _What in the hell is _he _doing here?! _she asked herself. Normal usually avoided his employees after-hours like they were diseased. His presence only increased Max's annoyance, not to mention, confusion, over how things were turning out for the evening.

The last time Normal and Sketchy had stumbled upon Max and Alec together, they'd been at a club, and it had been more than embarrassing for her. Alec had quickly 'covered' for _their _cover by letting them believe that Max was some dancer for extra cash.

The memory served to remind Max of how annoying Alec was, with his constant smirking and _laughing,_ _talking, and breathing_… She remembered a time when she'd told Cindy that he was 'bad news'.

'_Suga, you got issues,_" had been her friend's response. _Don't I know it!_ Max thought to herself, accepting just how upside down her world felt right now. Part of her still found Alec just as obnoxious as ever. But another part that was shining through more than she wanted at the moment was telling her that she wanted him.

Max quit confusing herself with her thoughts. It was just pissing her off anyway. She still had two days to get through. And if she wanted to do that, she'd have to make it through the so-far horrible night first.

_And here comes a way for it to get worse,_ she thought with a groan as Normal came closer to their table.

She tried to brush off the fact that she was sitting with Alec. Knowing Normal, he'd probably assume something stupid, like it was a date.

As he approached the table, he opened his annoying mouth to shout something at the pair. Max rolled her eyes and tried to keep a straight face to hold through the lame comment that was surely coming. Probably something along the lines of, 'For the love of Mike! This is why I never come to this establishment. Sights that'll scar me for life. My insurance'll never cover the damages. I don't care what you two idiots do tonight, but you better be at work tomorrow bright and early! Bip Bip!'

_Okay, fine, maybe he won't be _that _wordy_, she second-guessed herself. _Damnit, Max!_ she told herself. _Quit getting distracted and just focus on keeping a straight face!_

As Max stared at Normal with her usual face whenever he was around (the one that read, 'I couldn't care less'), she found it more difficult than she first anticipated to keep that straight, 'whatever' face. She was especially thrown off-guard by his blunt greeting.

"My money's on Golden Boy!" Normal's annoying voice could be heard through the crowd.

Her irritation with the night quickly escalated into anger as she tried to understand what was happening. _Normal is making a bet for Alec… _here? "What the hell is this?" Max asked, trying to get a hold on the situation.

"You're not the only one making a bet tonight, Pumpkin!" Normal told her as he came through, finally making his way to her table.

Max didn't understand what he meant immediately. _Normal knows about our bet? There's another bet tonight? _She looked up at Alec for some help in figuring out what was going on. "Did you bring me here on purpose?" she asked him.

"What?" Alec returned, finally coming out of his daze. He took a few glances around the room, as if taking in his surroundings for the first time.

He looked up to meet her demanding face. _Did you bring me here on purpose…_ he contemplated her question in his mind. "I asked to come here, didn't I?" he reminded her, his voice more edgy than he intended. _Geez, what's her problem? Who cares if I meant to come here or not? It's the one place where she'll chill out! …At least, that's what I _thought.

Max couldn't conceal the glare that followed his response. _That asshole made another bet tonight?_

Sketchy grinned at the group. "Max, word is there's a rematch goin' down tonight. Unfortunately, my assets have been somewhat dissolved for the remainder of the evening." He paused to let out a gross beer belch. "I think I bought too much beer."

Cindy let out a short laugh. "Foo', you shoulda saved some benjamins fa tha ride home. Cuz yo' ass ain't fit to even walk right now!"

Max found her annoyance increasing as she noted that her friends were all in such joking moods, while she was feeling more uncomfortable and upset by the second. She turned to Alec, about to demand what the stakes were this time, when she saw yet another now familiar face headed her way. She groaned in her mind. _Could this night get any worse?! _She looked up at him, her mouth held shut in a tight frown that she had to rip open to see what he wanted this time. "And what do _you _want?"

"Max!" Sean greeted. He was clearly more intoxicated now than the last time she'd seen him. "Air hockey! I'll play you!" He was surrounded by a small of group of guys, apparently his friends.

"Max!" one of them eyed her, letting the name roll of his tongue as he checked her out slowly, ending with a grin of approval. "I can't wait to see that body move out there."

Max looked back to Alec's plate, which _thankfully_ was almost finished. He gave her a questioning stare. "Max, do you know this guy?" His voice sounded calm and calculated, but deep and somehow full of emotion, despite his calm demeanor.

Before she could respond to anyone, another guy came up to her. "So a rematch is goin' on? Excellent! My money's on Max!" He placed an encouraging hand on Max's shoulder as he finished.

Alec calmly slid his now empty plate to the side. He stood up, and although he never once expressed any anger in words or actions, the vibe coming off him was clear. His posture was aggressive as he stared at the guy with his arms folded. It was an unspoken request to back off.

In the man's drunken stupor, he didn't even notice Alec's possessive stance, although Max certainly did. While it offered her some relief to see that Alec wasn't pleased with the situation either, she was still upset that he'd brought her here in the first place.

Before Alec could follow up his sudden change of attitude with a few words, Max ripped herself away from the guy.

"Get your hands off me!" Max commented in a disgusted voice as she immediately backed up…only to bump into yet another wasted guy.

"What are you waitin' for, sweetheart? Start the match, already! Let's get this game on!" he said to her.

Alec tensed as he found himself holding back the urge to throw a punch. He was about to tell them all to back off, when he felt a nudge at his side.

The stranger who prodded Alec with his elbow quickly followed through with a few rude words, surely fueled by the dissolving of his inhibitions, thanks to the alcohol in his system. "Yeah, come on, Pretty Boy. Why don't you get your ass out there already?" Then he looked at Max. "Sweetie, you can get a little more comfortable tonight if you want."

Alec's eyes moved from the place of contact to the man's distant-looking eyes, narrowing as he stared him face-to-face.

As Alec took a moment to calm himself down before doing something he'd regret, Max spoke up, her voice indicating just how angry she was at this point.

"I'm not your _sweetie_!" Max told the guy disgustedly. She couldn't believe what was happening. There was now an entire crowd of people blocking her from the exit. Max could kick their asses easily, but now wasn't such a welcoming time for her to be advertising herself as a transgenic.

_Why do they want us to have a rematch?_ she thought with frustration. _I'm so sick of this damn game!_

It was too much. She was done. _A day, fine, whatever, that's all I can do_. She turned to Alec, about to tell him to shove the rest of the bet up his pretty little ass, when Normal piped up again.

"Bip bip, people! I have bets to collect and I can only stand so much exposure to you morons. Let's go!"

Cindy rolled her eyes. "Normal, ain't nobody forcin' yo ass to chill here." She pointed toward the exit. "There's the door. Use it if ya so bothered."

Max took the moment to also stare at the door, which looked forever away and was covered with what looked like a swarm of drunken idiots, all apparently wanting to have some fun by watching a rematch of last night's game.

Max no longer felt the need to tell Alec to shove the bet. Now, she had a different set of words in her head to tell him as she considered Normal's words, as well as everyone's actions around her. _Normal has bets to collect… and everyone's expecting a rematch… and Alec brought me here on purpose…_

"You planned all this, didn't you?" she blurted to Alec, her voice accusing. "You want a rematch?" She tried not to get too carried away, jumping to conclusions. After her body's reactions to him tonight, as well as the whisper that was pressing to be heard from her heart, she really wanted to hold onto the sliver of hope that told her maybe Alec didn't intentionally plan all of this.

She knew he had an annoying habit of making bets, but at her expense? And without her knowledge? She eyed him cautiously, studying his face for the truth. Somehow she'd led herself to believe that he wanted her, more than winning some stupid bet. _But maybe I was wrong, _she thought to herself, frustrated that she couldn't read him better.

Alec felt the remaining happiness inside of him all but dissolve away into nothing as he held Max's stare. Her dark eyes shone with hurt just as strongly as anger. His lips parted out of both shock and the fact that he wanted to give her some sort of answer. But the words that were grazing the tip of his tongue wouldn't come out right away. He swallowed, trying to think of what he should tell her.

_I can't believe she really thinks that, _he thought to himself. He knew that he hadn't exactly devoted the day to showing Max how he really felt about her, but he certainly had never given her any reason to believe he'd trick her in this way and lead her right into a situation that he knew would make her uncomfortable.

"Golden Boy! $50!" Normal shouted into the crowd, interrupting his thoughts.

"Alec?!" Max asked him, her tone holding more urgency than she normally held for him. Even though she wasn't certain how she felt for him or anyone right now in her confusion, she was positive that if he had manipulated her into coming out tonight just for a rematch or to watch her take her clothes off in an attempt to win, she'd never forgive him.

"No, Max, I swear!" he told her, much to her relief. He pulled her closer toward him to whisper something. "Come on, it's getting crazy in here," she heard his soft, deep voice as his breath brushed gently against the side of her face.

Max willingly allowed him to guide her, weaving through the crazy drunken mess. Her hand slid into his as they walked toward the exit, Alec's strong arm firmly moving all roadblocks aside.

Someone stood in his way, blocking their path. "Hey, you can't leave yet!" the stranger said. "It's just about to get fun!"

Alec elbowed past the idiot without a word and continued on his way.

* * *

**a/n**: Thanks soooo much for everyone who read the last chap and reviewed! They really do inspire me and put me in the right head space to write the next one!  
**s**, **djonie**, **Deirax**, **p3karen**, **FemmePhantom**, **milo04**, **christique**,** predatorynature**,** jorie**,** purplebunnywabbit**,** Mahine**,** smartieepants**,and **FaeFolk**: You guys are awesome! I am really glad to hear you still like this one :D

Well shucks! I went all plottie on you guys, so now I have a tale to wrap up! Which means it's _still_ not done! I'm positive this time, though, there's one final chapter to end this the right way! So I will see ya all next time, with the last update! Until then... ciao!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Well that was borderline awkward!" Alec commented.

The pair was standing in the middle of Alec's kitchen. He was sitting in the same spot that he'd been in earlier when Max had served him purposely ill-tasting pancakes.

"Borderline?" she asked him, her anger getting the better of her. "That was absolute chaos!" _Not to mention mind blowing_, she added in her mind. _Or should I say shattering. _She was fully aware of just how confused she was, and she blamed him entirely. If he had never insisted on having stakes for what should have been just a simple game at Crash, she wouldn't be feeling so worked up right now.

If he hadn't had the nerve to purposely throw her off balance for _every minute _of the day that she was _forced _to hold her tongue, she wouldn't have had to bottle it all up to the point where her emotions threatened to explode.

If he hadn't slipped his shirt off while her stare could only leave his direction if she wanted to lose the game, she wouldn't have had the image of his naked chest burning in her memory and desires.

If he hadn't been such a smart-ass in asking her to lay next to him all night, only to steal a chaste kiss on her cheek with his soft lips, then his scent wouldn't have surrounded her, falling into her memory and touching her desires with their intoxicating waves as they engulfed her while she lay beside him.

If he'd hadn't been so damned insistent on having a massage (as if a genetically engineered killing machine _needed_ their muscles 'soothed'!), she never would have had to realize how powerless she was at the touch of his gleaming muscles.

And she never would have had that imagery running through her head all day if he'd just put his shirt back on instead of using the _entire night _as an opportunity to taunt her desires.

_And that sneaky move he played earlier…_ she thought, recalling how she'd wanted him to take her lips with his own when all he was doing was flipping his egg.

_Ass!_ she yelled in her mind, but not out loud. 'Cuz _today _she wasn't allowed to be herself. Unless of course Alec, in his generosity, decided it would really be _nice _of Max to tell him how she really felt right now.

"You're kidding yourself if you think that wasn't total insanity!" she told him, her tone aggressive as she found her control to keep being 'nice' slipping in the overwhelming frustration she was feeling.

"Okay, usually, _I'm _the dramatic one," he replied, hoping to ease some of the tension she was clearly feeling. "Come on, let's just relax."

"Oh, that's real easy for you to say! Now that you got what you wanted!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked her, his lips closing together as he looked at her with slight confusion.

_He has to ask? _How convenient the day had been for Alec, everything working out in his favor, right in line with plans. Meanwhile, Max found her every futile effort to somehow not be miserable just turn into more confusion. "This is all pretty fortunate for you, Alec. Don'tcha think? Somehow, after all's said and done, not only did you get your meal, you got your massage, too!"

Alec eyed her as he studied her face to figure out what she was so upset about. "Well, I thought we had a bet. And I won, didn't I?"

Max narrowed her glare at him. _What an ass!_ As if he had to ask! Like she could forget that her entire day had been ruined, courtesy of Alec alone. "By some horrible twist of fate," she complained.

Alec couldn't help finding amusement at how serious she was being. "Look, it's not the end of the world! Come on, you know the only time you were really nice to me today was when you gave me that massage. And you couldn't even do that without beating on me first!"

Max glared at him. He had the nerve to complain about her efforts to be nice to him? After the day was ending up to be one of her worst _ever? You ass!_ she thought again, growing tired of keeping it to herself.

_I'll humor him, _she decided, _again! _She was sick of playing his game, but she was also curious to see how he would somehow put the day out of his favor.

Max didn't deny or accept his account of the day's events. "What's your point?" she asked.

He shrugged before continuing. "Maybe I just think it's kind of funny. Seeing how difficult it is for you to be nice to me." He finished with a cocky smirk.

Max rolled her eyes at him. She knew she wasn't being nice to him anymore. It was beyond her at this point. Now she was just trying to see how far he'd been planning on taking this. "Let me guess. You have another special request? Kind of like the massage? Let's hear it. I'm in the mood to laugh."

Alec let out a light laugh. "I sense some sarcasm," he remarked before giving her a cocky grin.

She rolled her eyes again. "Really, whatever gave you that clue?"

As Alec again gave her his smart-ass grin, Max was finding more difficulty in resisting the urge to slap him. Attractive or not, his self-assured grin was too much to put up with on top of everything else. Max was hating the whole charade of being nice to him.

Which made her question herself again, much as she had when he'd first brought up how hard it would be for her to be nice to him, before they knew what the outcome of their game would be. Why was it so difficult for her to be nice to him? She frowned inside, the self-doubting bringing one on the outside as well in her frustration.

Alec gave Max a disappointed look to return her menacing glare. "Tsk tsk, tsk. Max…You know, I can't help feeling like you're not really giving this your all!"

Max parted her lips in an instinctive response, about to tell him off, when she remembered, _yet_ again, the stupid bet. She wanted to give up with every part of her. Except the one that refused to allow him to prove her wrong. Her competitive side gave her just enough strength to hold back the venomous words at the tip of her tongue. But she couldn't contain the furious daggers she was sending him with her eyes.

As she continued to stare at his smirk, that feeling came again. The one that told her this was all too much. As much as she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of fulfilling his expectations on her ability to be nice to him, or rather, lack thereof, she was feeling overwhelmed and she just couldn't take it anymore. "Why are you doing this?" she blurted at him, to her own surprise just as much as his.

_Why is she asking me that_? "Talking?" he played dumb, as if he didn't realize what she was referring to.

"This whole bet. You _know _that it's driving me crazy!" she admitted to him.

"What are you talking about? I was just giving you a hard time, like always. Come on, you've already got one day down. Only two more to go." He spoke encouragingly.

But Max wouldn't hear any of it. She'd made up her mind. She had had more than enough. This little game was over. "Screw the bet!" she snapped at him.

Alec gave her a challenging stare. He knew her reasons for giving up. But he wasn't so sure that she did. He wondered if she could admit it. "Why?" he asked her simply, his tone low and void of his typical light nature.

"Because!" she answered lamely. Her lips pulled into an angry pout before she confessed her struggle to him. "I - can't do it, okay! Are you happy? You were right. I can't be nice to you." She swallowed as she realized how weak she must appear right then. He would surely never let her live this moment down for as long as she knew him.

"And I don't know why," she finished, her voice quieter and more revealing. She turned her stare away, wishing that she were alone right now to sort out all of her confusion. A good session atop the Space Needle sounded like heaven right then.

But first she had to stand there and take the insults that he was sure to send her way for not being able to keep up her end of the deal. She was ducking out of their 'agreement' (if you could call it that) early, and she knew that hearing him out was the least that she owed him.

His eyes held hers in such an intense stare that she couldn't turn away. After studying her for a moment, he pulled that familiar smirk back onto his face. "Come on, Max. Where's your competitive nature? I'm not so sure you're even trying."

Max glared at him again. "Of course I am! What the hell do you think I've been doing all day? Cooking and working for you out of the kindness of my heart or for the sheer pleasure of it? 'Cuz as wonderful as it was handing you all my tips, it's really not my style."

"I don't know, Max," he argued, though calmly. "It really seems to me like you've been fighting our bet this whole time, like we're still playing the game."

"I am so over that stupid game! You have no idea!" she protested. "The truth is, I don't like to lose, okay. Big deal! I like to win. I wonder where I get my competitive nature from? Probably something to do with my genes." _He should understand _that, she reasoned. Both of them grew up learning the shame that came with failure.

Alec let out a light laugh at her response, but it was clear he still wasn't satisfied. "No, that's not what I mean. You aren't fighting that you lost. I mean, that was pretty clear for everyone in the bar." He illustrated the point with his trademark smirk that she'd seen too many times within the past 24 hours to count.

Max narrowed her glare at him. It wasn't her patience that allowed him to continue. It was her curiosity. _Where is he going with this?_

"You're fighting something else," he finished, leaving Max to guess at his meaning.

Max didn't waste time trying to figure out his cryptic comment. "What else?" she demanded in a fury.

"Unless I'm wrong…" he trailed.

"And wouldn't that be so difficult to consider!" she remarked, her eyes rolling.

"Max, do you remember anything from our match?" he asked her.

"The part where I was kicking your ass? Or the part where you signed me up for _this _shitty day? Or is it the part where you were trying to show off? Wait, my bad. You do that one every day!"

Alec grinned at her. "Oh, was I the only one putting on a show?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked him.

He flashed her a cocky grin as he continued, which was easy given the visual he was recalling from their intense match. "It just looked to me like you were a bit preoccupied trying to pull my attention toward you instead of the game."

Max rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. So I know you're a guy and I tried to use it to my advantage. What's your point? 'Cuz from the fact that we're standing here, I guess my plan didn't work."

"That's the thing, Max," he told her. "You didn't need to do all that. Although I really appreciated the extra treat of taking in the sight of you while I was winning." His cocky grin was firmly in place.

Max finally told him what her mind had been screaming to let out all night long. "You are such an ass!" she spat at him through a glare.

"Again with my ass, Max! Don't you get it?" he asked her, still more than amused.

"I think I've made that clear on several occasions, Alec," she replied. "You know, the ones that end with me calling you an ass. Which by the way, just wanted to let you know that that was extremely gratifying. I've been waiting to call you that all day!"

"Is that the only thing you've been waiting to do, Max?" he asked her.

She cocked her head this time as she looked at him. He must have been playing some kind of angle with these weird questions. "What are you getting at?"

"I think you've been wanting to do something else ever since the match, Max. Well, part of you. But the other part is fighting. 'Cuz you're feisty and too damn stubborn to admit it."

"Okay, was that a compliment?" she asked him with a dramatic face. The question was more to point out his rudeness than seeking any real clarity on his comment. "All right, fine. Nice observation, I've got an attitude. Again, what's your point?"

Alec finally showed some hesitation of his own as he swallowed before continuing. He didn't want to do it like this, spell it out for her or ask her point blank. But apparently, she was too comfortable with the habit of denial. He'd have to be the one to put himself on the line. As if he wasn't already! He was fairly certain that everyone at Crash was well aware of his regard for Max. There was nothing more damaging to his Pretty Boy image and pride and reputation with the ladies than to be visibly smitten with a woman that only paid attention to him when she was slapping him across the face or telling him what an idiot he was.

_But that's not how she acted when she was giving me that massage_, he reminded himself, cursing inwardly at the bittersweet thing that is hope. If he was only getting his hopes up just to be let down…

_But you didn't imagine her reaction_, he reminded himself. No, her feelings were clear during their game, and they had been appearing through her façades, much to her distress, throughout their day as their proximity increased more than it ever had.

"Okay, fine. I'll make you a deal," he offered.

Max looked up for a moment to shake her head. _I cannot believe he's still playing these stupid games with me! _she thought in a combination of annoyance and frustration. "Gee, I wonder where this is going? What are you gonna make me do _this _time?"

He still managed to hold a grin on his face as he continued. Despite how terrifying the feeling of vulnerability could be, standing in front of Max wouldn't let the smile leave his face. "I'll drop this bet early, which you've sucked at so far, by the way."

Max hated that something in the cute grin following his rude comment caused her lips to almost twitch upward into a light smile. It took conscious effort to not give him the satisfaction right then of knowing that somehow, the comments that used to bring a slap across his face now were part of the details of Alec, and thus something that brought a smile to her face.

The glare that followed his comment suddenly seemed unnatural to her, but she didn't know any other way to react given her feelings of frustration and confusion that still remained from Crash and were only continuing as she realized how mixed up her feelings were right then.

Max shrugged. "Guess I wasn't genetically engineered to be _nice_," she remarked.

Alec nodded with a light smile. He loved Max's attitude. He couldn't help it. It was the first thing he'd noticed about her. Well, right after appreciating that Manticore had assigned him a hot breeding partner. He had eyed her once upon meeting her, and he couldn't help eagerly anticipating his assignment, once he'd more than approved of his match.

But as soon as she realized he wasn't her dead brother, that mouth of hers that he'd stared at so many times, burning into his memory and desires, opened to reveal a woman that would end up turning his world upside down.

Before Max, he was more than satisfied with life. Sure, he was being handed orders, but when you're being ordered to have a good time, is it really so horrible? At least, that was what he used to think. Aside from his time in PsyOps, Manticore had provided him with an easy lifestyle, free of responsibilities. Plus, he'd been able to go on solo missions so often that he didn't feel trapped at all.

But then Max came along, with her determination to get out, and her 'morals', and that damn responsibility of hers. She had connections to people, something Alec had always looked upon as a weakness, something to tie you down. He'd mocked her incessant need to find and help out her 'family', a concept he didn't see the point in.

He'd still gone through with his mission, making sure she made it to Logan. In his mind, he'd told himself that he was still just a soldier, free of responsibilities and emotional connections.

But the truth was, even then, he was done. 494 quit existing the day he'd met Max. One day of having her attitude and heart thrust in his face, and the world as he knew it had ended.

Alec smiled at Max as he considered that unique spirit of hers. "Seriously, I'll drop it. If you do one thing."

"One thing?" Max asked him, her eyes showing her disbelief that he would let her off so easily.

"That's it," he replied. "One thing, then it's all over."

Max nodded, but still didn't look like she believed him entirely. But like she'd been doing all day, she decided to humor him. "Okay, Pretty Boy. Spill it. What do you want?"

At her words, the image of Max laying in his arms immediately flashed through Alec's mind, threatening to ruin his plan before he'd even gotten it out.

He quickly shook his thoughts away. He had to focus to keep a confident face as he told her his offer. "Kiss me," he told her simply.

But there was nothing 'simple' about it. Max's breath was trapped in her throat as she took in his request. Her eyes immediately drifted to the soft lips that had warmed her cheek with their touch the night before. Even if only for an instant, the pleasure that those lips could bring had quite an effect on her that she wasn't soon to forget.

Max forced herself to hold a confident face to show that she couldn't care less. "That's it?" she commented, brushing his request off like it was nothing. But as she felt her heart racing at the prospect of taking his lips in a kiss, she knew that the moment would be a much bigger deal than nothing.

"And mean it," Alec finished, his voice lower than she'd ever heard it.

Max swallowed. _He wants me to kiss him? _All other thoughts seemed to escape her, though, as she found herself staring at the lips that she already knew were kissable.

Her voice was softer, and more serious as she answered him. "You can't make someone mean that kind of thing, Alec. That comes straight from the heart."

The stare that he gave her following the comment sent a chill up her spine. His hazel eyes were intense, and held a golden twinkle of desire as they focused on hers. She recalled his comment during their game, '_My eyes are only on you'_.

Something in his eyes showed her, yet again, that he wanted her. But she could tell that he wanted her for more than simply her looks. The deepening stare of someone in love was a sight she was all too familiar with, from Logan.

But Alec's stare didn't hold so much possession and necessity as her old lover's had. Alec's eyes were different, shining with hope, dedication, and… _admiration?_ Max wondered if she was reading too much into a simple stare, but she couldn't stop her thoughts and desires from running at the proposal he'd just made.

As Max stared further into Alec's eyes, she knew. She could finally see the main reason why she'd become so attached to him, not throughout the bet, but throughout every sparked moment that she'd had with him so far. It was his heart. And it was staring at her through his hazel eyes.

Alec nodded in acceptance of her point. "Well then, humor me, will ya? I think you're pretty good at pushing away how you really feel, don't you?"

Max again felt the breath inside of her rush together in her throat, captured by his words. _He knows_, she realized. _Alec knows that I want him_.

"Yeah, I am," she admitted to him before holding a hand up to gently hold his face to attention, as if his focus was anywhere else at the moment. "But something's been keeping me from doing that lately," she told him.

Alec tried to hold his heartbeat steady as it raced with the familiar feeling of Max's touch. His eyes shuttered for a moment as his thoughts were briefly taken away by her affection. "What's that?" he asked, his voice deep and revealing.

"This stupid bet," she told him, not with aggression this time, but with a teasing overtone.

"It's drivin' you crazy, huh?" he joked, the casualness of their conversation killing him as she held his desires inches from his face.

"So I can get back to normal with just one kiss?" she asked him, her breath so close that the words tickled his nose.

"Yep," he barely let the word escape his lips, afraid that any more would reveal the pain she was putting him through. Having Max for one day was enough to ignite all the desires inside of him. He didn't want things to go back to 'normal' after today. Because nothing would ever be normal again for him, now that he'd had Max as his for a day, even if it was just pretend.

"Good!" she said simply before sliding her lips over his.

His worried thoughts quickly fled him as his world spun until the only thing that he could sense was Max and the taste of her lips. His tongue traced the small opening between her lips without thinking, and she didn't hesitate to open them so that she could suck at his tongue with her own.

As she nibbled at his lower lip, he couldn't stop expressing his pleasure in a low, quiet moan.

Her arms moved around his waist as she held onto him.

"Max…" he breathed her name, one hand reaching for her hair while the other wrapped around her tiny frame to pull her closer.

But she pulled away. At least her head. Her arms still held onto him as she took a deep breath, staring at him. A solid smile spread across her face while she looked into his eyes. He noticed her cheeks were flushed, the involuntary expression of _her_ pleasure.

"I've never kissed another transgenic before," she confessed to him.

Alec couldn't stop himself from grinning at seeing how taken she was with the action. He'd certainly kissed other transgenics, but none had left him feeling weak in the knees as he was now, like a storybook romance.

"You can certainly hold your breath longer," she continued, her grin indicating her approval.

_Oh, God_, Alec couldn't help thinking. _She's comparing me to every other guy she's kissed! Couldn't she wait to do that later, when I'm not inches from her face?_

The silence that had fallen over the room was deafening. "You know, our stamina's pretty good, too," he commented with a smirk, the action meant to cover his true vulnerability in the moment. "If you wanted to check that out, too."

She actually bit her lower lip to keep herself from expressing the excitement it gave her, knowing the possibilities of being with Alec.

"I've no doubt about that," she managed to say.

"Well!" she continued. "I guess our bet's over! I'd say it's been a pleasure, but…"

Alec nodded, his face tight. His fears were coming true. "You've been miserable," he finished for her. He knew his eyes were probably a dead giveaway. As good as he'd once been at hiding his true emotions, Max had a way of breaking through everything. "Back to normal…" he trailed.

Max laughed at his disappointed reaction.

_Now she's going to laugh in my face?!_ he thought, distressed. _Max will be the death of me, _he thought to himself dramatically.

"Here's something I never thought I'd say to you," she began. "You need more confidence!" she told him.

Alec's lips parted in confusion as he considered her statement, but before he could respond, Max chased away all thought by throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him toward her for another kiss. This one wasn't as long. It was more meant to serve a point that, despite his forlorn stares, she had made a decision, and it was Alec.

Alec's heart felt lighter than he'd ever imagined as he stared at her happy, revealing face. His mind worked through a fog. She'd kissed him a second time… _But I said she only had to kiss me once…_ Her actions could only mean… She wanted him. And she'd finally come to accept it.

"I thought I had the cocky thing down," he joked to her as he held her close. Her tiny frame enclosed in his arms, having her heart beat against his, felt more right than anything else had all day.

"Oh, you do!" she said with a grin as she looked up at him.

"You know, for a minute there, I thought you were gonna walk out that door," he admitted to her.

"Call it… just a little payback for personally handing me the most frustrating day of my life."

"A little?" he asked her, his eyes wide. "You had my heart hanging by a thread!"

"Well aren't _we_ being dramatic?" she teased him.

"Hey, I told you I was the dramatic one."

"Well, like I said, I was a bit agitated. Didn't you notice at Crash?" she asked him sarcastically.

"Y'know, it took everything in me not to pound those guys," he confessed. "But coincidentally, I know a really good way to work out your agitation and stress." He wiggled his brow suggestively.

Max rolled her eyes but still smiled as she spoke to him. "Let me guess… it involves me… and you… and your bedroom?"

"Have you ever been with a transgenic?" he asked her with a cocky grin.

Finally, the slap that had been itching to come out all day hit him across the face, though not nearly as hard as she'd been wanting it to be earlier. "You ass!" she said to him through her grin.

"Ow!" he mocked being in pain as he reached to rub the sore spot.

Max again rolled her eyes, before looking at him more seriously. "Well, since we're in the line of making confessions, there's something I'd like to tell you."

"All right," he said with a quiet grin.

"Nothing's going to be 'back to normal' after today."

"Yeah, I'm getting that feeling…" he trailed before looking at her in mock-seriousness. "You okay with that? 'Cuz something tells me I'd be okay with that."

Max let out a light laugh. "I think I can manage," she replied.

"Oh, and since we're letting it all out, like you said," he continued, "I wanted to tell you that you definitely look better in my blue towel than I do."

Max laughed at his comment. "So Pretty Boy admits that he's been beat?" She mimicked true shock at his words. "Wow! I never thought I'd see the day."

"Well, we all know who won the game," he reminded her smugly.

"But you let me quit the bet early. What kind of a winner does that?" she teased him.

"Ah…" he trailed, at a loss for words. _Max renders me speechless… again!_

"What's that?" she continued to tease him. "I don't think I heard what you said."

"Ha ha, Max. That's cute, you know that." His hazel eyes smiled into hers.

"So I look better in your blue towel," she repeated.

"Yeah, I'd definitely say that," he answered, as the image of Max wearing his blue towel filled his mind momentarily.

"Well then…" she trailed as she pulled him in the direction of his bedroom, her brown eyes holding a certain mischief that he'd been seeing more of lately.

"I think I'll need a second opinion on that," she finished.

"Meaning?" he asked her. The action of being led into his bedroom by Max had a way of seriously hindering his ability to put two and two together.

"Let's see that blue towel on you!" she answered.

He grinned, finding immeasurable satisfaction in the moment. "Okay. I'll make you a deal."

Her eyes rolled, this time out of true annoyance. "You are kidding me! What do you want _now_?!"

"I'll showcase the blue towel… if…" he trailed, taking the moment to appreciate how worked up he could still make her. "…You kiss me," he finished, repeating his earlier request.

She smiled up at him. "And mean it?" she asked, as if she didn't know his response.

"Yep," he answered simply, this time at a loss for words out of anticipation rather than disappointment.

"That's it?" she asked before pulling his face toward hers. "I think I can do that," she told him as she slid her lips over his.

* * *

**a/n**: Well, that's all folks! I want to express a huge **THANK YOU **to _everyone_ for all of your lovely reviews throughout this fic! This one has been so much fun for me to write, in no small part thanks to your kind and encouraging comments! I really hope you all enjoyed this all the way through to the very end! I'd love to hear your thoughts from this last chapter. Thanks again! Maybe I will see ya all in another fic ;P ---Dooski 


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